Games with history on Wikipedia

In September 2019, an anonymous editor of the English-language edition of Wikipedia made the following statement in a discussion on the entry about Gdańsk: ‘Gdańsk is a Polish city.’ What does it really mean? ‘Gdańsk is a city in Poland’ would sound less nativist and reflect the fact that Gdańsk/Danzig had a far more diverse history than simply being a Polish city (as it is today).’

Nagłówek

In this lesson, you will explore the intersection of history, digital media, and online knowledge production through the lens of Wikipedia. By analyzing historical disputes and editorial conflicts—such as the long-standing debate over the naming of Gdańsk/Danzig—you will gain insight into how historical narratives are shaped, contested, and sometimes manipulated in digital spaces. You will also learn how Wikipedia’s principles, such as a neutral point of view, influence the way history is presented and debated. This lesson will equip you with critical tools to assess the reliability of historical content online and recognize the role of digital platforms in shaping collective memory. By engaging with real-world examples and applying research methods from digital humanities, you will be encouraged to think critically about how history is written in the digital age and why these debates matter for our understanding of the past.