Historians and Big Brother: Academic and Official History Clashes
Given how much stock nations and politicians put into "Official History" as a tool, the relationship between historians and governments can often be a tense one. One recent example of this is how Michael Gove, the British Minister of Education, insulted academic historians and history teachers in an editorial in the Daily Mail. He took them to task specifically for presenting the British involvement in the First World War in a more unflattering and somber light, in comparison to the patriotic narrative the Government in Britain is trying to revitalize. Though Gove has been taken to task for this by both his own Party and the Labour Party, it is nevertheless a testimony to the awkwardness between the academic and political spheres in history. French historians have a long standing tradition of attempting to keep their politicians from utilizing French symbols and figures in particular ways. It is important for historians to challenge "Official History" narratives, both to present fuller and more vibrant history to the world, but also to avoid allowing history to be used as a tool.