Increasingly, reenacted representations of historical figures can be found on social media aiming to make the past more tangible. Here, producers employ a first-person perspective which is known for ...fostering the experience of parasocial interaction (PSI). Following the assumption that social interactions promote the development of empathy and moral orientation, we ask whether continuous PSI with a historical person on Instagram affects the followers’ empathy and moral orientation as it offers novel, unique insights into the past. We conducted a longitudinal investigation with two measurement time points ( N t1 = 239; N t ₂ = 89) asking actual followers of a German historical Instagram account (@ichbinsophiescholl) about their interaction with the historical figure on Instagram, empathy, and moral orientation. In line with the assumption, results showed that the followers’ interaction (e.g., liking, commenting) with the historical figure was positively related to the experience of PSI. Furthermore, we found positive relationships between PSI and empathy, as well as moral orientation. The long-term analysis indicated that following a historical figure over time can affect the followers’ empathy when frequently interacting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)
Although theatrical representations of the past have been examined by theatre and performance studies scholars, public historians have preferred to focus on historical re-enactments in living history ...sites, museums, or on film and television. This article argues that theatre is a compelling site for representing and understanding the past through a case study of one of the most performed plays in recent Canadian repertoire, Vern Theissen'sVimy.Drawing on a survey of audience members and the author's experiences as an academic historian working with a national theatre company, it proposes ways in which further study and practice can illuminate our understanding of the public and its pasts.
