In the third instalment of the #MyEUIResearch video series, we feature Elisa Chazal, PhD researcher at the Department of History, whose research delves into the ways European historical reconstructions—such as those created at World’s Fairs—were used to create national narratives and standardise the past. These reconstructions, complete with period-costumed actors and historical or imitated artefacts, were not only immersive attractions for millions of visitors but also vehicles for political and commercial agendas.
In her research, Chazal collaborated with a team of video game designers to create Les Chroniques d’Ana, a video game that immerses players in the reconstructed world of 'Old Paris', from the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. The game allows players to uncover anachronisms, shedding light on how the manipulation of history through material culture was both a tool for national storytelling in the past and a relevant issue today.
In the interview, Chazal also shares insights into the process of creating a historical game, the unexpected challenges encountered along the way, and the importance of stepping outside academic comfort zones to engage broader audiences with history.
Chazal presented her interactive digital history project at the event, 'Press start? Video games and the use of history', organised by the Public History and the Visual and Material History working groups at the EUI. The event explored the use of history in video games and digital media and the possibilities of disseminating history through these mediums.
Elisa Chazal is a doctoral researcher at the EUI Department of History. Her doctoral thesis titled, 'The Industry of Ephemerality: Re-enactments of Historical Cityscape in Fin-de-siècle Europe', is supervised by Professor Giorgio Riello.