Newsletter - Social Science in Eastern Europe 2002 - 4
EASTERN EUROPE
New Approaches to the Comparative History of the South Eastern Europe:
Methodology and Sources
Head: Ghent, Liana (Regional director)
Duration: 2001-2002
Institution: Civic Education Project, Budapest
Staff from Eastern Europe: Carter, Dave (Director for Special Projects
and Faculty Development of CEP); Rachieru, Silvana (University of Bucharest,
Romania), Islami, Bledar (University of Tirana, Albania), Casu, Igor (University
of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova), Iordachi, Constantin (University Babes
Bolyai, Cluj, Romania), Vezenkov, Alexander (University of Sofia, Bulgaria),
Markovic, Petre (University of Belgrade, Serbia)
Topics: The project is designed to develop a communication network and
strengthen intra-regional academic exchange and interaction in South Eastern
Europe in the field of history research and teaching, in order to support the
professional development of young scholars in this field. The goal is to
scrutinize some dominant ideas and myths concerning the definitions of national
identity in the countries and regions as well as the cultural definition of the
region as a whole, to improve teaching methodology and sources interpretation in
universities, and to facilitate cooperation among young historians from the
regions.
The main event of the project is a roundtable, entitled "New Approaches
to the Comparative History of the South-Eastern Europe: Methodology and
Sources." The project will deal with topics relating to regional and
national identity in South-Eastern Europe. Terminology, definitions and
ideological usage of geographical terms will be scrutinized. Borders of and
within South-Eastern Europe will be discussed in the framework of national
identity-building and re-interpretations of regional history. The history of
connections to Europe as a whole and between countries in South-Eastern Europe
will be contrasted with dominant myths that cloud these issues. Historical
sources of relevance for the region will be analysed in a supra-national
context. Interconnections between the histories and cultures of countries in
South-Eastern Europe will be discussed, as well as the reasons for and
consequences of changing borders, changing concepts of the area and changing
cultural influences. A clear agenda for topics to be discussed will be set at
the first regional meeting.
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