urbanHIST

Researching Contemporary History

For the ESRs seconded at UPJŠ during the 6-month period of academic secondment, the local training programme naturally focuses again on some of the phenomena of researching contemporary history, as this area has its own specifics essential for mastering the ESRs research adequately. The interdisciplinary character of both, the study and the research part of training remains one of the key objectives. The core area of the study stay is the Ph.D. study programme itself (Slovak History) and the individual ECTS courses it offers (let us mention e.g. Methodology of Historical Science, National History in the context of European History etc.) and individual consultations of ESRs with their second supervisors regarding the individual research projects. Furthermore, within the open lecture series and local training programme, among the activites regularly implemented at UPJŠ one could find:

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• PhD. Colloquia, discussion of research progress of A. Arzmi. E. Khairulina, A. Shuba, S. Weddige;

• open lecture "Politics and Public Space in Slovakia between 1938 and 1945: The example of Prešov" (lecturer – Assoc. Prof. Martin Pekár);

• PhD. Networking workshop in cooperation with the Institute of Construction and Architecture SAS including guided city tour of Bratislava (Henrieta Moravčíková, Michal Janák);

• networking and interdisciplinary opportunites (specialised training offered at the Institute of Geography, Faculty of Science, UPJŠ for and also by ESR Elvira Khairulina);

• Slovak language course (individually), Academic Writing in English Course (continually for UPJŠ ESRs seconded at beneficiary universities);

• strengthening intercultural competencies and communication, calling attention to cultural similarities and differences.

Researching Contemporary History II (20th Century Slovakia in 20th Century Europe)

The training programme and lecture series will further elaborate the previous local training block focused on development of knowledge and strenghtening the ESR skills in the 20th century history research area. The interdisciplinary character of both, the study and the research part of training remains one of the key objectives. The lectures will be realised in two main fields and themes of the study. The first area focuses on mastering the specifics of the PhD study programme at UPJŠ - „Slovak History“, within which the ESR have to pass the dissertation examination. In particular, it covers relevant chapters from political and social history of Slovakia in the 20th century. Lectures will be primarily held by members of UPJŠ urbanHIST team, experts in 20th century history (Pekár, Šutaj, etc.). The second area comprises lectures by external experts (Kaňuk, Moravčíková, Czepczinsky, etc.) with their main focus being selected problems within the IRPs, WP7 The Other Half of Europe and external experts´ own specialisation.

For more detailed information, please contact the team UPJŠ.

Researching Contemporary History I (Periodisation, Methods, Problems)

As to chronology, research within the urbanHIST project belongs within the area of contemporary history. This area has its own specifics, whose mastery is a prerequisite for adequate research and the achievement of relevant results. The lecture series will be focused on mastering an adequate amount of knowledge, mastering competencies related to contemporary history research, and on further developing of ESRs critical thinking skills. The individual parts of the lecture cycle will further elaborate the analysis of the notion of contemporary history, the specifics of the methodology and research methods, theoretical models, periodization. Bearing in mind the overall urbanHIST objectives, special attention will be given to panEuropean history, i.e. the approach working with common development tendencies, political history (e.g. typology of democratic and undemocratic regimes in Europe), as well as to social history which is closely interrelated to the thematic focus of the project. Individual lectures will be primarily led by UPJŠ urbanHIST team members and by colleagues from the partner institution – Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences at Slovak Academy of Sciences. An external lecturer from outside the consortium will be invited, too.