Theoretical approach to historical consciousness and its relationship with narrative literature

Abstract

Historical consciousness is a relatively new concept that has had its research peak in recent years. It has brought back the attention on the need for history teaching-learning processes to consider it, not only as the knowledge of names and dates that can be acquired through simple memorization, without involving a more complex process, but as an opportunity to impact the individual. This is attempted to be achieved through the development of critical thinking and the internalization of the nature of historical events as a set of different perspectives of reality depending on the context from which it is interpreted. Similarly, individuals recognize themselves as participants in a specific historical period and, therefore, as agents of impact. The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach through a theoretical review of historical consciousness and its potential practical impact on the present and future, as an action guide for the individual. It considers how historical narrative literature, which takes past contexts and endows them with figures and elements typical of literary texts, can help history to be presented in a clearer and more accessible way, thus contributing to its conformation through the development of cognitive tools.