European History Research Articles

Maternalism and new imperialism in Russia: “good mothers” for a militarizing state—expectations, implications, and resistances

This article explores maternalism in Russia in the context of the contemporary Russian authoritarian state. In particular, I analyze what implications maternalism has for women, mothers, and families on the one hand and how it is connected to the Russian state's new imperial ambitions on the other. I also explore how maternalism is challenged and employed by those resisting state politics, including militarism. Historically, maternalism was used for the analysis of the development of the welfare state in Europe and beyond and for studying women's activism that contributed to significant changes in the state's welfare politics. Maternalism in European history could be seen as “a progressive heterosexual maternal womanhood”; according to Mary Daly, it could be explained as a recognition of the “existence of a uniquely feminine value system based on care and nurturing” and as the assumption that women are performing “a service to the state by raising citizen-workers”. Gender historians of Latin America showed that speaking from the position of a mother was quite important for claiming both the right to be accepted as an equal citizen and the improvement of maternity care, welfare, and living conditions for mothers and children. Furthermore, maternalism was widely used in protests against state militarism, wars, and military dictatorships, not least as a part of the campaign against the Vietnam War or the crimes of the Argentinian military dictatorship. However, maternalism was also widely used by several totalitarian regimes, including fascism and Stalinism. Maternalism was an important political instrument used by the state socialist discourse in order to show the superiority of the “socialist” welfare system over the “capitalist” one and to make this system appear attractive to women from “developing” countries.

Yearning for the Plot Enclosure in Ian McEwan’s Black Dogs

ABSTRACT The British Empire’s disintegration drove its many residents into an enclosure of illusions of sovereignty. As McEwan’s works emerged amid such developments, his characters respond to the rising disintegration either by imposing control patterns on others or by taking the needy into protection. The novel Black Dogs focuses on the protagonist-narrator Jeremy, who is determined to redeem his adoptive parents’ ruined familial intimacy. However, his considerate attitude to them is gradually disclosed by the author as an attempt to solidify his unbelonging self. His generous opening to them by means of a mobile plot that meanders through European history gradually turns into a self-protective consolidation. Indicatively, his plot’s sleepwalking through historical perils recalls the ancient Greek love romances, whose readers were equally frightened by the whims of an unchained history. Yet unlike them, who used to attach themselves to the ups and downs of the imperiled lovers, Jeremy’s addressees are attracted by his wandering plot that occupies the individual and collective territories of others. In a final twist, the author even surpasses this self-consolidating expansion into foreign territories by his clandestine plotting of an intertextual space and thus reveals the appropriative, conspirational character of his pact with the readers. A complicit alliance with them comes into being, which he keeps controlling and steering.

Digitisation of natural history collections: criteria for prioritisation

There are approximately 1.5 billion specimens kept in European Natural History Collections. The mission for the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) is to unite all these specimens into a one-stop e-science infrastructure of digital specimens. This is a monumental digitisation task and criteria for how to prioritise this effort are, therefore, crucial for the success of the project. In this report, we have reviewed the literature and designed and conducted surveys of the digitisation plans and criteria used by DiSSCo Partners to understand the prioritisation criteria used in the digitisation of natural history collections. As an attempt to provide some guidance for the digitisation of specimens, we suggest that an organisation (e.g. DiSSCo or an individual institution) that is planning to digitise natural history collections considers four categories of prioritisation criteria: Relevance, Data quality, Cost and Feasibility.

The Global History of the Free Port

ABSTRACTThis article sketches a new, integrated history of the free port from the late sixteenth to the mid twentieth century. It lays out the historiographical problems associated with the free port, ranging from how to conceptualise the form and function of the institution and the uses to which it has been put, to situating its place within liberal political economy. The starting point for making sense of the free port is to trace the history of its paradigmatic cases, studying not only key models such as Livorno, Hamburg, or Singapore; but also how contemporaries discussed, appropriated, and adapted them. It then turns to do just that, reconstructing the defining moments in the history of the free port: from the Mediterranean in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; the Caribbean in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century; Europe in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; East Asia during the nineteenth century; and the entire globe in the twentieth century, when the free port was increasingly subsumed by a host of other spatial arrangements, such as the special economic zone. The conclusion considers what the free port indicates about the history of global capitalism and its relationship to European history and imperialism.

Complete genome reconstruction of the global and European regional dispersal history of the lumpy skin disease virus.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) has a complex epidemiology involving multiple strains, recombination, and vaccination. Its DNA genome provides limited genetic variation to trace outbreaks in space and time. Sequencing of LSDV whole genomes has also been patchy at global and regional scales. Here, we provide the first fine-grained whole genome sequence sampling of a constrained LSDV outbreak (southeastern Europe, 2015-2017), which we analyze along with global publicly available genomes. We formally evaluate the past occurrence of recombination events as well as the temporal signal that is required for calibrating molecular clock models and subsequently conduct a time-calibrated spatially explicit phylogeographic reconstruction. Our study further illustrates the importance of accounting for recombination events before reconstructing global and regional dynamics of DNA viruses. More LSDV whole genomes from endemic areas are needed to obtain a comprehensive understanding of global LSDV dispersal dynamics.

Holocaust refugees in the colonial world: an introduction

ABSTRACT In this article, Casteel and Mikel-Arieli introduce their special issue and outline its contribution to the literature on global refugee transit. By expanding the scholarly focus of discussions of global transit beyond well-documented western destinations, the special issue reveals entanglements between occupied Europe and the colonial world that significantly shaped the trajectories of Jewish refugees. Their experiences, often documented through personal writings and fiction, expose a complex interplay between European refugee history and colonial societies. The articles in this special issue unravel how Jewish refugees, initially victimized by European racial persecution, found themselves navigating colonial spaces structured by different forms of racial violence. They explore the refugees’ entanglement with colonial power dynamics, complicating conventional victim/perpetrator narratives. By weaving together historiography, literature and personal narratives, these articles emphasize the need for continued interdisciplinary investigation of the intricate histories of Holocaust refugees in colonial settings.

Wartime in the history of economic thought: episodes in European history

The paper is concerned with war in the history of economic thought. It looks at disputes about abstraction versus historicism over the long 19th century, in relation to war and the state. It then looks at the historical setting in which Léon Walras and others developed their ideas of political economy. It concludes with reflections on the presence or absence of the state in modern economic history.

THE ROLE OF ISLAM IN SOCIO-CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE BALKAN SOCIETY, 1354-1450

The entrance of the Ottomans in the Balkans in the 14th century brought about significant changes in European history. The Balkans, which had been administered by the Byzantine Roman Empire with Christian church influence, were now conquered by the Ottoman Empire, which introduced new administrative structures and organisations with Islamic influences. This has influenced the socio-cultural makeup of the community, particularly at the conclusion of Sultan Murad IIs reign. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of Islam in the socio-cultural transformations of Balkan society from the early years of Ottoman rule until the end of Sultan Murad II reign. This study employs a qualitative research method through content analysis, as well as descriptive and deductive analysis. According to the findings of this study, Islam played an active part in influencing the socio-culture of Balkan society during Ottoman rule in a multitude of ways. The first is to lay the groundwork for the Ottoman governments administrative and legal systems. The second is to prioritise the provision of Islamic infrastructure and facilities and waqf institutions in order to promote the Muslim community and the Balkan region. Third, assigning the obligation of preaching and spreading Islam to all Muslims, and last, promoting a better lifestyle change in accordance with Islamic principles, among Balkans who have recently adopted Islam.

IN QUEST OF SECULARISM: WEST AND EAST

The world of academics is divided into different groups pertaining to their reflection on the questions of secularism. Some of them considered that secularism is a western concept. It is a product of European history that has been implanted in Indian societies so the secularization of politics has taken place in India where the people are strongly committed to religion. Some other scholars believe secularism is an Indian experience for that matter Hinduism itself a great secular religion. Diversity of faith, diversity of ideas, and spirit of co-existence, accommodation, and tolerance are the essential ingredients of Hinduism. Therefore, secularism as a concept as plasticized in West is so different from the practice of secularism in India. The present paper seeks to explore a comparative analysis to the concept of secularism in west and east.

Identity and conflict

The study sheds light on several important aspects in the field of textbook research and history didactics. The introduction presents the most significant professional events of the European history didactic discourse in recent years and new approaches to the scientific field, in all of which international cooperation plays an important role. Reasons for the general and professional interest in history teaching and history textbooks and the origin of textbook research are also presented. The history of international textbook revisions, interrupted by the world wars of the 20th century, the types, effectiveness, goals, and results of transnational cooperation are also introduced. Finally, the study details the changing results and products of some cross-border projects, paying special attention to the exemplary French-German textbook revision, the Polish-German, Scandinavian, Slovakian-Hungarian, European perspectives, and Asian and African examples that rarely appear in Hungarian textbook research. In the conclusion of the study more than a dozen collaborations are summarized based on continent, duration, nature of participants, and function. Among the results two categories are established as the main goals: regional identity building and conflict resolution.

Die Kantate als musikoliterarische Gattung.

Abstract The cantata genre is one of the most important intermedial art forms in European cultural history. Originating in Italy, it has also been used productively in music and literature in Germany since the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Since Erdmann Neumeister, who was the first to formulate a poetics of the (madrigal) cantata, numerous cantata poems have been written, which – even before they are potentially set to music – are literary artifacts in their own right. It is therefore surprising that the genre of the cantata has been researched almost exclusively by musicologists, and that there has been a lack of literary studies, and consequently, interdisciplinary approaches, which would be necessary for a systematic understanding of the cantata as a musical-literary hybrid genre. This article is intended as a contribution to an interdisciplinary study of the cantata. It examines the cantata text “Ich will den Kreuzweg gerne gehen”, written by Erdmann Neumeister and set to music by Georg Philipp Telemann, according to literary-textual and musical criteria, paying particular attention to the mechanisms and dynamics of the interaction between text and music.

Using portraits to quantify the changes of generalized social trust in European history: A replication study.

A portrait is an exercise of impression management: the sitter can choose the impression she or he wants to create in the eyes of others': competence, trustworthiness, dominance, etc. Indirectly, this choice informs us about the qualities that were specifically valued at the time the portrait was created. In a previous paper, we have shown that cues of perceived trustworthiness in portraits increased in time during the modern period in Europe, meaning that people probably granted more importance to be seen as a trustworthy person. Moreover, this increase is correlated to economic development. In this study, we aim to replicate this result, using more controlled databases: 1) a newly created database of European head-of-state sovereigns (N = 966, from 1400 to 2020), that is a database of individuals holding the same social position across time and countries, and 2) a database of very high-quality portraits digitized with the same technique, and coming from the same Museum, the Chateau de Versailles database (N = 2,291, from 1483 to 1938). Using mixed effects linear models, we observed in the first dataset that the modeled perceived facial trustworthiness of these sovereigns' faces increased over time (b = 0.182 ± 0.04 s.e.m., t(201) = 4.40, p < 0.001). On the opposite, no effect of time was detected on the portraits of the Château de Versailles (b = - 0.02 ± 0.03 s.e.m., t(759) = - 0.85, p > .250). We conclude by discussing the potential of this new technique to uncover long-term behavioral changes in history, as well as its limitations.

The Use of Medieval History in Constructing National Identities in 19th-Century Portugal

Looking back at the development of Portugal today, the 19th century was undoubtedly an important turning point, with the emergence of professional historical writing in the country, the reconstruction of national identity, and the topic of intellectual commitment of the time. The main point of this study is to analyze the writing of European history in the early 19th century. Antony Smith considers the 19th century the beginning of professional historical writing under the framework of a national character. By the theory of Stephen Berger, the scientificity of history is seen as a key point. Combined with the actual situation of Portugal at that time, this paper seeks to emphasize that Portugal in the European environment was influenced by the general European view of history. Portuguese historians carried out scientific historical writing, choosing a romantic and liberal view of history. The paper focuses on Portuguese historians, represented by Alexandre Heeculano. In his view, the Middle Ages were a time of glory. Furthermore, the paper analyzes his professional historical writing and the literary creation of historical elements. Alexandre Heeculano used the well-ordered and vibrant Middle Ages to resist the depressed social situation in Portugal at that time. He called for the establishment of the Middle Ages as the origin of the nation, and the importance of the national imagination to restore national confidence and rebuild national identity. The paper follows this vein and explores how medieval history was used to construct Portuguese identity.

Gaetano Salvemini: profile of a transnational intellectual

AbstractGaetano Salvemini (1873–1957) is one of the most influential intellectuals of Italian and European twentieth-century history. As 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of Salvemini's birth, this special issue of Modern Italy aims to attract the attention of an international readership and contribute to filling the gap in scholarly publications in English, offering a tool to approach Salvemini's intellectual production and biography. We have chosen to focus on four aspects of Salvemini's life that we consider particularly suitable for introducing his personal trajectory and the evolution of his thinking, adopting a transnational approach: his interpretation of the Great War and the Adriatic question; his antifascist exile in Great Britain and, from 1934, in the United States; and the publication of his most important studies on Fascist Italy. The choice of these topics aims to shed light on Salvemini's contacts and stimulating exchanges with foreign scholars, his international experiences, and how these transformed his ideas on Liberal and Fascist Italy.

The Greek photographer Nelly’s: the interplay of personal and socio-cultural theme of ‘rebirth’

This article presents a psychobiography study of the famous Greek photographer Ellie Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari (Nelly’s) (1899–1998). Nelly’s was born in Aidini (Asia Minor), and in her early years she experienced the tragic events of the Greek-Turkish War (1919–1923). She studied photography in Dresden (Germany), and worked in Athens (Greece) and New York (U.S.A.). A narrative and cultural psychology framework was adopted to explore the way that Nelly’s constructed her life story. An adjusted version of the ‘Life-Story Interview’ (McAdams & Bowman, 2001) was used that distinguishes between redemption versus contamination narratives. The narrative analysis of autobiographical materials revealed turning points and a central life theme. The photographer appeared to construct her life story as a process of reinventing herself or managing ‘rebirth’. This construction matches the dominant narrative of Greek refugees of Asia Minor, following what is known in European history as the Asia Minor ‘Great Catastrophe’ (1922). Both narratives are surviving and thriving stories of ‘rebirth’. The importance of making meaning of life stories within a specific socio-cultural and historical context is emphasised. Practice and research suggestions are provided.

Implementing the Right to Education in the Integration Legal Systems of the European Union countries: Research Methodology and Areas of Improvement

The purpose of the research:Implementing the right to education in the European Union countries is considered. Main content: It has been established that implementationof the right to education plays an important role in the system of human and citizen rights and freedoms, and has complex connections with many of them. It is noted that in most European countries the right to education is socially oriented. European countries are characterized by the following: continuous education; compulsory primary education; standardized ways of organizing the educational process, regulating participation of students, parents and teachers in it; great attention is paid to financing and protecting the right to education. Methodology: The methodological basis of the research is presented as comparative-legal and systematic analysis, formal-legal method, interpretation method, hermeneutic method as well as methods of analysis and synthesis. Conclusions: Despite the diversity of educational systems in the European region, the member states of the Council of Europe recognize the need to promote the free access of young Europeans to the intellectual resources of the member states of the Council of Europe, as well as to the study of European culture, languages, history and culture of other countries by all citizens.

What Does Singularity of the Holocaust Mean?

ABSTRACT This article examines the historical reality as well as the discourse on the singularity of the Holocaust in Germany. After an excursus on the Historikerstreit (Historians Dispute) in 1986, which resulted in a specific consensus on the interpretation of the Holocaust, the article describes the development of research since then, which led to a different result, namely to understand the Holocaust as a complex violent event with different groups of perpetrators and victims, which must be placed in the context of a European history of violence. The thesis of the singularity of the Holocaust not only no longer reflects this research development, but also blocks an appropriate culture of remembrance, which should be open and “multidirectional” (Michael Rothberg) without relativizing the specificity of the mass murder of European Jews.

Editorial

This special issue of VIEW was inspired by a call from the final conference of the project “European History Reloaded: Curation and Appropriation of Digital Audiovisual Heritage” (CADEAH). The project brought together interdisciplinary expertise in the curation of digital audiovisual heritage, contemporary European history and Digital Humanities to study the ‘afterlife’ of digitized audiovisual heritage once it was made accessible and shared online, something that has seen a great deal of growth throughout the first two decades of this century. What happens to digitized audiovisual heritage once it is shared online? How does audiovisual heritage circulate online? To what extent do users re-use or re-mix audiovisual heritage? And, more specifically from an archival perspective: How do strategies of curation shape the appropriation of digitized heritage? What new perspectives on European history and identity do digital curations and appropriations of audiovisual heritage create? How can audiovisual archives better foster the re-use of Europe’s audiovisual heritage? With this issue we wanted to broaden our view and discuss our insights with scholars from diverse disciplines and with diverse professional backgrounds. These articles showcase the methodological and conceptual approaches that are being used across Europe to understand, and encourage, the use of audiovisual heritage, investigating contemporary practices of re-use and the ways that archives themselves think about these challenges.

Online hate speech on social media in Portugal: extremism or structural racism?

ABSTRACT This paper analyses online racial hate speeches in Portugal. The theory underpinning this research challenges the idea that racism is an epiphenomenon in European and Portuguese history. Beginning with a theoretical framework which conceives racism as a historically constructed system of power and privilege, we argue that its structural nature paved the way for the consolidation and normalisation of openly racist discourses. Moreover, this paper demonstrates that the nature of racist narratives can only be understood from a theoretical conceptualisation which problematises the Portuguese colonial past and its current continuities. In this research, a critical analysis of discourses produced and reproduced on social media, namely Facebook and Twitter, was carried out. From a comparative analysis of the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea that this health crisis coincided with a shift of the dominant racist narratives is thus challenged.

Transnational Jewish Politics in the Interwar Period: Berlin Rabbi Joachim Prinz and the Yugoslav Zionists

AbstractThis article explores the journey of Berlin Rabbi Joachim Prinz (1902–1988) to Yugoslavia at the invitation of Zagreb Zionist leader Lavoslav Schick (1881–1941) in late 1935. It examines the transnational cooperation between German and Yugoslav Zionists in the interwar period and their efforts to cope with the plight of German and southeastern European Jewry alike. Although Jewish representatives of different countries cooperated intensively during the interwar period, we know little about it. Thus, this article intervenes in current research on European Jewish history and contributes to a growing interest in the transnational entanglements of European Jewry and Jewish politics in the 1930s and early 1940s by focusing on two important protagonists of Jewish interwar politics in Germany and Yugoslavia.