Areas of research
Thematically, the Seminar of General and Comparative History concentrates primarily on general European history of 16th to 20th century. Essentially, the problems of modernity and modernization with its numerous particular and accompanying processes have a prominent position. These include among others
- problem of uneven development
- european development through perspective of relations and tensions between centres and peripheries, and modern and traditional
- social change, innovation and resistence
- cultural history from 16th to 19th century; stereotypes and otherness; history of mentalities, collective identities
- local, regional, and national societies, formation of modern nations and national movements in 19th century, nationalism and national identities
- nationalism in Europe at the end of 20th century
- revolutions and democratization from 17th to 20th century; making of civil society
- social and cultural history of technology
- economic thought in early-modern period
- European urbanization and making of modern urban culture
General issues of historical knowledge are also regarded such as
- history of historiography, methodology of history
- methodology of comparative history