5. Approaching different perspectives on the First World War

This workshop aims to review basic elements of the First World War, but above all to compare the historical approaches specific to each participant based on their educational and student background, their country, and their history. The idea is to open young people to others, to develop their listening skills, their empathy and their critical thinking, and to see to what extent we share a common memory of wars and conflicts. And beyond the differences, to identify what brings us together.

• To introduce historical knowledge about the First World War
• To compare and identify differences in perspective between the participating countries
• To compare the approach of national textbooks
• To develop critical thinking

• War
• First World War
• History
• Historical facts
• Timeline
• Concepts
• Discussion
• Analysis
• Critical thinking

15 – 20

• This workshop is recommended for young people who are in their final year of high school and/or have just obtained their high school diploma.
• It is particularly suitable for young adults, whether they are students or have just finished their studies and are entering the workplace.
• It is necessary that the young people have an interest in this topic, as well as basic knowledge of the wars of the 20th century.
• They must also have a certain capacity for reflection and critical thinking in order to be able to listen, process information and argue. Finally, they must have the social skills of respecting and listening to others.

2 hours and 30 minutes

• Adequate computer equipment for the facilitator: computer, video projector, connected screen, good internet connection
• Excerpts from several history textbooks for each participating country (in French, German, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian and possibly English). The documentation is preferably chosen by the facilitator according to what they feel comfortable working with.
• Board / flip chart
• Coloured sheets, markers, adhesive tape

Step 1 (45 to 50 minutes): video watching and discussion

• A video is shown to the entire group.
  Important: What to keep in mind when selecting the video:
  – It must be in English.
  – Attention must be paid to the content, both in substance and form.
  The historical content needs to be verified: the facilitators have to make
  sure of this beforehand.
  – The video needs to be summarized and well-paced.
  – Finally, the video must present views from both Western Europe and the Balkans
• The team provides some historical context through a basic presentation: the European context in 1914 (political, economic, social, etc.), the rise of tensions, and the system of alliances. It may be useful to deploy a map of Europe from this time period (this can be found on the internet).
• The facilitators write down dates, concepts and other important elements on sheets of coloured paper, which they can attach to the wall or to part of the board. This provides a common framework for everyone.
• The facilitator must then introduce a moment of critical thinking, for example by asking participants the following: “What is missing from this video?” (e.g. a Balkanic perspective); “What did you get from what was just said?”, “What was new for you?”, “Did anything surprise you?”. Participants are encouraged to provide feedback and share the understanding they gained from the informational moment.
  > This is a good way to transition into the most significant portion of the activity
  and open the discussion on how to teach this history in each of the participants’
  countries.

Step 2 (45 to 60 minutes): read and analyse different national textbooks

• The participants are divided into mixed groups (the team has to make sure that each country is represented in each group).
• Each member of the group reads the textbook excerpts in their usual language
  and translates the excerpt or its most important parts for the other participants
  to understand.
• Important: It is essential that the facilitators choose and familiarise themselves in advance with the excerpts from the different textbooks. Again, the choice of material is always a very sensitive issue, and everyone must ensure that they analyse the material thoroughly and use critical thinking.
• The participants discuss and exchange ideas in their small groups. They observe and compare the content of the textbooks and the different perspectives within.
  To guide them, the facilitator asks them some questions, for example:
  > How are the historical events described in each textbook?
  > Which differences do you recognize in the descriptions?
  > What could be the reasons for this?
• The facilitators can then go deeper into the document analysis, using this
  questionnaire:
  1. Origins: What are the reasons given to explain the origin of the conflict?
  2. Goals: What did each country really want when engaging in the war?
  3. Consequences: What were the results? What were the consequences?
  4. Main dates: note the dates that are mentioned in every textbook
• To be more efficient, the facilitator can prepare a spreadsheet and distribute it to the participants.

Important: the facilitators should ask the participants whether all of the textbooks provide answers to these questions. Discussions will inevitably occur, and everyone can exercise their critical thinking skills.

Step 3 (25 to 30 minutes): discussion, observations and synthesis
Each group is asked to speak in order to share the results of their analysis and observations.
These results can be used to create a shared mind map. For example, when a participant is speaking, they could come to the board and create or complete the mind map. As a result, they are more active and the result is more creative, with the results being easier to remember.
But the most important thing remains to note the commonalities and differences in treatment and perspective from one textbook to another, from one country to another, to ask “why” about these differences and try to answer and understand them.

Conclusion: (10-15 minutes)
Historical views and perspectives can vary from country to country.
There are the facts, and there is how a country presents these facts in a textbook.
The facilitators should insist on the fact that a textbook is the result of editorial and
political decisions. Young people need to be aware of this, and be as critical as they would be of any document in their daily lives.

The main aspects to bear in mind with this method relate to the selection of documentary materials, their detailed analysis, and their scientific criticism for educational purposes and for the development of critical thinking.

Young people gathered in multicultural groups analyse different excerpts from school textbooks.