Emma Shaw & Robert J. ParkesUniversity of Newcastle

History Boom• Decline of academic history

• Concerns over school history (national curriculum as response?)

• Increase in popular history

• Stats if possible? Historics? History is at every turn.

Family History /Genealogical Boom

• The popularity of family history research- One of the top 5 leisure pursuits- One of the top three internet search topics- Statistics

• Possible motivations- Increasing secularization of Australian society- Nationalistic concern in the face of multiculturalism and trans-

national migration- Fracturing of traditional family structures

Genealogical Television2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Who Do You Think You AreSo You Think You’re Royal (UK)100% English (UK)

You Don’t Know You’re Born (UK)Coming Home (Wales)My famous family (UK)Who’s Been Sleeping in My House (AU)Faces of America

Find My Past (UK)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013UK

Poland

Canada

Australia

Ireland

Germany

South Africa

Sweden

Russia

United States

Denmark

Netherlands

Norway

Israel

Finland

Czech Repub.

Portugal

Who Do You Think You Are?

• Initially hailed as an alternative social history of Britain

• Popularity statistics

• Fascination for the audience

Brand Expansion/Enterprise

Who Do You Think You Are?Television Show Structure

• Celebrity Avatar

• Simplistic format

• Emotional journey

• Genealogical tourism

How do the celebrities position themselves at the beginning of their journeys?

• Four episodes in this paper- Christine Anu- Catherine Freeman- Melissa George- Rod Marsh

• Character attributes:- Where did I get…? - How am I…?- Who am I like…?

• Search for Belonging- Where do I fit?• Great Expectations- My family history will fill in the gaps…

How do the celebrity avatars relate to their genealogical past?

Historical Empathy Definition

Differentiated (Contextualised) historical empathy

People in the past thought differently than we do now, and not everyone in the past thought the same way. People in the past have a diversity of attitudes that are understood in the context of their cultures, positions, affiliations, allegiances, and times.

HISTORICITY

Restricted historical empathy People in the past thought differently than we do now. People in the past have unique views that are understood in the context of their cultures, situations, and times (all of which are different to our own).

Everyday empathy People in the past are represented as thinking just the same as we do. Present attitudes are projected onto people in the past, and past situations are understood as identical to present circumstances.

PRESENTISM

Stereotypical empathy People in the past are represented as thinking differently than we do now, but the account is of general stereotypes of people in the past.

Ahistorical empathy People in the past are acknowledged to have thought differently, but they are positioned as being not as smart as we are or irrational. People’s actions in the past are found wanting (based on ignorance or other deficits).

Lee & Ashby (1987)

How do the celebrity avatars relate to their genealogical past?

• Naturalisation (That’s where it came from) – Nostalgia, Essentialism, Romanticism, “it’s in my genes”

• Rejection (I don’t believe it) – I think this history is wrong. I don’t trust these sources/people.

• Indifference (This doesn’t relate to me) – This is not my history. I don’t identify with this group.

• Assimilation (We are all the same) – There is a universal human nature.

• Transformation (This changes how I think about myself) – I have to reevaluate who I am.

Parkes (2004) & Simon (2005)

Example #1: Christine Anu• “Do I have singers in my

background…who can I trace it back to?” – Naturalisation

• “Mum told me Kuse was a missionary but deep in my heart of hearts I hope it isn’t true” – Rejection

• “ Kuse was part of an educational, social and political experiment…Christianity was a vehicle and a way of going into the new age” – Assimilation

• “This photograph has changed my life” – Transformation

• “That’s where I get it from – I am a storyteller” - Assimilation

Example #2: Cathy Freeman• “This is disgusting…it’s just putrid” –

Rejection• “I definitely get my sporting ability from

me grandfather” – Naturalisation• “So I’ve got a military background!” –

Assimilation• “I feel more proud of his achievements

than my own…it’s where I get my strength and courage from” – Naturalisation

• “so the reason for his removal was that he wouldn’t sign a work order, was addicted to drink, and supplied alcohol to aboes” – rejection, not acknowledged

• “ People of Australia see me as a predominantly Indigenous woman, but I am of British ancestry…I have British blood flowing through my veins” - Transformation

Example #3: Melissa George• “I don’t care what happened in the

past” – Indifferent• “Is there any proof he did that?” –

Rejection• “I don’t think he was a part of that” –

Rejection• “I am hoping to find out he was a

good man…it’s really important for me and my family” – Rejection

• “it’s a great relief to find out he was a kind, sweet, honourable man” – Assimilation

• “Can you read this for me please? It doesn’t look good” – Transform

• “What’s lovely, I have all their faces now” - Assimilation

Example #4: Rod Marsh• “ I don’t like Yorkies…that must be where I

get my obnoxiousness from” – Naturalisation

• “Who knows the circumstances” – Indifferent

• “He’s had no influence on my life. None.” Indifferent & rejection

• “Whatever his crime was, he couldn’t have been that bad a bloke” – Assimilation & rejection

• “I don’t reckon he did it. That’s my first thought, he’s innocent” – Rejection

• “I know every prisoner says he’s not guilty, but every prisoner is not my great-grandfather” – Rejection

• “Decent Dan Marsh…I don’t respect Jack Dutton, but I do respect Dan Marsh” – Rejection, indifferent & assimilation

• It’s not in the blood…it’s in the name as well” –Assimilation & Naturalisation

NOW?

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