Rate My Professor Abby Hartman

Abbie Hartman is an Associate Lecturer (Teaching and Leadership) in the Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University, contributing to History through innovative teaching and research. As a cultural and public historian working in public history and historical game studies, her research focuses on the construction of history in popular culture, particularly video games, examining why history is presented in culturally-specific ways and how this affects public understandings of the past and fosters historical empathy. She possesses extensive experience in the GLAM and education sectors, guided by the principle that history should be accessible and engaging for everyone.

Hartman leads key research projects as Primary Chief Investigator, including "Play Through History" (2024–2025), which evaluates the historical accuracy of video games using museum objects to engage 3.09 billion global gamers and promote educational games on Australian and Canadian history; she curated the associated exhibition at the Macquarie University History Museum, displaying ancient Egyptian game pieces, Roman dice, modern cards, and gaming consoles until April 2025. Her earlier project, "Ludic Historicisation: Video Games as Public History" (2018–2023), advanced this field. Notable publications comprise the peer-reviewed article "Video Games as Public History: Archives, Empathy and Affinity" (Game Studies, 2021; corresponding author with Rowan Tulloch and Helen Young), analyzing Valiant Hearts: The Great War, and the chapter "'It's not accurate, but it usually feels authentic': accuracy, authenticity and verisimilitude in Assassin's Creed Origins" (Ancient Egypt in Video Games, De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2026). She has earned the Faculty of Arts Early Career Learning and Teaching Award (2023) and Highly Commended recognition in the Vice-Chancellor's Learning and Teaching Sessional Staff Award (2023). Hartman convenes History units including A History of Popular Culture since 1945 and Research in Practice.