Faculty Of History Research Articles

Teaching Informatics and Mathematics to History Students: Experience of Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod

The article is based on the report made by the author at the scientific and methodological seminar of the Association "History and Computer" and the Faculty of History of Moscow State University, which was held on January 2024. The subject of the analysis are the names and hourly volume (in academic hours) of disciplines of informatics and mathematical cycle of the National Research Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N.I. Lobachevsky or Lobachevsky University) from 1984 to 2023. N.I. Lobachevsky National Research State University from 1984 to 2023, the names of graduate qualification works made at the Department of Information Technologies in Humanities from 2007 to 2023, the names of teaching aids for 2010 to 2023, published by teachers of the department. It is revealed that the subjects of information and mathematical cycle for 40 years of their teaching in IMOMI NNGU have become more specialised and practice-oriented, both in bachelor's and master's degrees. The restored initial period of teaching quantitative methods in history in the 1980s, based on the recollections of colleagues and the first lecturer S.V. Subbotin, is of independent importance. A complete list of information and mathematical disciplines in 2023-2024 is given. The basic information about the Department of Information Technologies in Humanities Studies, which has been responsible for teaching the above disciplines since 2007, is given. It is found that since 2007 the ITGI department has graduated 86 students, 31 per cent of whom used quantitative methods and computer technologies in their final qualification works. The importance of cloud technologies in the possibilities of distributed project work of undergraduate students is shown. It is concluded that the main formed information competence of historians is a critical attitude to the digitisation of historical sources and their publication on the Internet.

Просопографічний портрет Антона Кухти (1923–1994)

The article highlights the educational, scientific, public, and educational activities of Anton Kukhta (1923–1994), a well-known educator in the Lviv region in the second half of the twentieth century. It outlines the main stages of the educator’s professional advancement, namely his studying at Sambir Teachers’ Seminary and at the Faculty of History of Lviv University, his teaching and management activities in secondary education institutions, educational authorities of Lviv region, and at Lviv University. Anton Kukhta worked for many years as a teacher, a vice-principle, and a principal in several secondary schools. He was also elected a head of the local education department in Lviv region, where his talents as an innovative teacher, a skillful manager, and a leader of the educational environment were clearly revealed. His creative personality was manifested and developed while working in the positions of the director of Lviv Scientific and Pedagogical Library, and later as the head of Lviv Regional Institute for Advanced Teacher Training. The author of the article examines A. Kukhta’s contribution to the development of the theory and practice of pedagogical science, and emphasizes his scientific interest in the issues of students’ teaching and training, which reflected the general trend and increasing attention of contemporary scholars to the issues of higher education pedagogy and its identification as a separate field of pedagogical science. A special attention is paid to Kukhta’s research work in the field of moral education of student youth and the need for continuity in the formation of moral traits and qualities of a young person, his ideas on the professional training of future teaching staff with the emphasized need for consistent and purposeful search and selection of talented young people with the appropriate potential to master the teaching profession. Noteworthy is A. Kukhta’s research on the historical role of Lviv University in the development of education and science alongside its famous scientists and graduates who worked in various educational centers of Eastern Europe in the mid-eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The prosopographical portrait of A. Kukhta is enriched by his social, cultural, and educational work among educators and students. Keywords: Anton Kukhta, historical and pedagogical research, regional perspective, education of Lviv region, secondary school, Lviv University, Pedagogy of Higher Education, students’ moral education, teacher training.

Transformation of university history education against the backdrop of the digital era: academic and methodological seminar at Moscow State University

The article contains an analytical description of the main directions of work of the All-Russian academic and methodological seminar, which took place in January 2024 at the Faculty of History of Moscow State University and was oriented to the problems of digital transformation of university historical education, as well as the development of educational programs in the field of "Historical Information Science" and related program profiles. The seminar was organized by the Faculty of History of Moscow State University and the interregional association "History and Computing" (АИК). The purpose of the seminar was to discuss the current experience accumulated by historians of Russian universities in the use of digital technologies, data science methods and artificial intelligence in the educational process. Another direction of the seminar was the exchange of experience in the development of educational programs in the field of “Historical Information Science”. Other educational programs of similar profiles were also discussed, for example, “Applied Informatics in the Humanities” for bachelors. More than 80 university representatives from six countries took part in the seminar. A number of reports examined new formats of educational work that have been introduced in universities in recent years in the context of the digital transformation of higher education, including project activities of students, the work of a tutor in a digital department of a university, and the organization of a research and educational group based on scientific partnership between students and teachers. The article notes that during the seminar, noticeable interest was shown in organizing the educational process in the field of “Historical Information Science” using the example of the experience of the History Faculty of Moscow University over the past two decades. The second part of the article provides a brief description of MSU educational programs.

Activity of Father Władysław Chotkowski (1843–1926) in the Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences

Władysław Chotkowski (1843–1926), a Catholic priest and patriotic activist, lectured on Church history at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. The excellent preacher who addressed national and social issues from the pulpit, he delivered eulogies at the funerals of eminent Poles and notable Kraków figures. The article presents the relationship of Władysław Chotkowski with the Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1883, he was elected a member of the Historical Commission, and in 1901 appointed to the Commission for the History of Polish Literature. Since 1907, he was a corresponding member of the Faculty of History and Philosophy at the Academy of Arts and Sciences. As a researcher of the Church history in Galicia, he participated in the meetings of the faculty, during which he presented the results of his research and scientific work that were published by the Academy of Arts and Sciences as dissertations and monographic works. The text, based on archival materials from the resources of the Archive of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences (PAU), fills the knowledge gap in the research on the scientific activity of prelate Władysław Chotkowski in the Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Патриотическое воспитание молодежи как элемент борьбы с фальсификациями истории Великой Отечественной войны

The proposed article deals with controversial problems such as the falsification of the Great Patriotic War, the preservation of modern youth historical memory and resistance with attempts to falsify the history of the war.
 The article presents the results of a study among modern young people about the knowledge of the history of the Great Patriotic War and the main directions of history falsification of the war. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the historical memory of modern youth about the Great Patriotic War. The study was carried out among students in grades 5-11 and students of the Faculty of History. As a consequence, we came to the conclusion that young people know the history of the Great Patriotic War at a low level, and the most susceptible to the influence of falsifiers of the history of the war.
 The main result of the study is methodological recommendations developed for lessons, ex-tracurricular activities, and optional courses for history teachers in order to increase the level of knowledge of the history of the Great Patriotic War and directions of falsification. The work also contains recommendations for the patriotic education of youth.

Old Believer mentor Mitrofan Kozlov: a deserter for the salvation of the soul

The article is devoted to the history of the participation of Old Believers in the Great Patriotic War and consecrates the little-studied issue of desertion for religious reasons. The article is based on the materials of field research conductedby the participants of the expedition of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Archeographic Laboratory of the Faculty of History of Lomonosov Moscow State University among the Old Believers-"Bespopovtsy",residents of Kilinsk. The source base was audio records of interviews collected during field research in 2003-2015, focusing on the study of everyday religiosity. The article analyzes the case of Mitrofan Kondratievich Kozlov, a strict mentor of the community of Old Believers-"Bespopovtsy" of the chapel of concord from the Kemerovo region. Mitrofan Kondratievich built his whole life and the life of his family in accordance with his own understanding ofChristian rules and strict prohibitions.

GENEALOGY OF UNIVERSITY ETHNOGRAPHY: DEPARTMENT, PERSONALITIES, TRADITION TRANSMISSION (TO THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF PROFESSOR G.E. MARKOV)

The article is a tribute of respect to the memory of Gennady Evgenyevich Markov, a major Russian ethnologist, archaeologist and historian of primitive society, doctor in history, professor of the Department of Ethnology, Faculty of History, Lomonosov Moscow State University. The authors provide a detailed analysis of the scientific contribution and life path of the outstanding Soviet/Russian scholar and place their narrative in a broad socio-cultural and intellectual context of the country and society. G.E. Markov's biography is closely connected with the history of the Department of Ethnography/Ethnology at the Faculty of History, Moscow State University and serves as a serious basis for reconstructing the genesis of university ethnography and its dynamics over the course of nearly 85 years. Such a long period of existence of the university department and its sustainable effectiveness in training professional staff were essentially ensured by the high qualification of scientific and pedagogical staff, reliance on solid theoretical and methodological foundations and interdisciplinarity, a combination of conservatism with flexibility and adaptability to the challenges of the time, the ability to preserve disciplinary continuity and ensure the transmission of the scholarly tradition. All these components of the successful development of university ethnology are subjected to a comprehensive and balanced examination in the article. G.E. Markov's biography in all its typical and special manifestations forms the semantic core of the analysis and presentation. The authors offer their view on complex and sharply debatable issues of professional self-determination, the logic of scientific discovery, the correlation between field and desk research, the influence of ideology and politics on scientific thought. The article presents the authors' vision of the prospects for the development of the Department of Ethnology, based on a harmonious combination of ethnological and anthropological approaches to understanding the disciplinary framework, unconditional reliance on scholarly tradition and its authorities, the need to improve the methods of training in terms of instrumentality and practice-oriented nature, which will allow graduates of the department to be in demand and stay in the profession.

ON THE UNIVERSITY CAREER AND SCHOLARLY HERITAGE OF V.A. GEORGIEV (1944-2022)

The article is devoted to the memory of Vladimir Anatolievich Georgiev, Associate Professor of the Faculty of History at Moscow State University, his scholarly heritage and participation in the activities of Professor N.S. Kinyapina’s school in the study of foreign policy of the Russian Empire, especially concerning national peripheries - the Caucasus and Central Asia. The author provides the main facts of Georgiev’s biography, including information about the activities of his parents, who were also professional historians and graduates of the Department of History, Moscow State University. Georgiev was a representative of one of the four generations of this family who graduated from the Faculty of History of Moscow State University. His scholarly career and many years of teaching are connected with the Department of Russian history in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Under the supervision of Professor N.S. Kinyapina he successfully defended his PhD thesis “Russian Foreign Policy in the Middle East in the Late 1830s and Early 1840s” and published a corresponding monograph in the mid-1970s. The article also deals with his major publications in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods, in particular, with his contribution to the collective monograph The Eastern Question in Russian Foreign Policy. From the Late Eighteenth through the Early Twentieth Century. Special attention is paid to the group set up by Georgiev for research on Russian policy in the Caucasus during the imperial period. The article lists all of the students, who studied under his direction from writing student essays to defending dissertations and compiling their own monographs. Georgiev’s multifaceted work on popularization of historical knowledge in text- and handbooks for students and schoolchildren is not forgotten. They are still in great demand and published in large editions. Georgiev also wrote for the Soviet Military Encyclopedia and the Large Russian Encyclopedia.

Report from the 2nd National Scientific Conference on ‘Work Culture’, December 1, 2022

On December 1, 2022, the 2nd National Scientific Conference on ‘Work Culture’ was held at the Faculty of History, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, entitled “Little Workers: Child Labor in Social-Cultural and Economic Perspectives Throughout History”. The organizers of the meeting were the Department of Economic History, the Department of Eastern European History, and the Workshop of Cultural History of the Faculty of History at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Due to the participation of speakers from abroad, the conference had an international character this time around.

Административни „доклади“ от проф. П. Бицили: границите на жанра

The publication examines administrative reports written by Prof. Pyotr Bicilli in Bulgarian in his capacity as the Chair of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History at the Faculty of History and Philology of Sofia University. The official reports on the competitions for private associate professor (1940) and full-time associate professor (1943) are kept in the Archives of Sofia University and have not been published until now. The third text - a "motivating" report to the Academic Council for opening a procedure for a private associate professor - was found in the annual report of the Vice-Chancellor of the University for 1938-1939 academic year. The reports reveal a strategy for cultural reproduction of models of functioning of Bulgarian scientific field, area with which P. Bitsili was engaged. In texts, along with careful interpretation of conclusions in candidates’ works, the professor presented his ideas on research method and concepts introduced in his medieval and literary texts. The reports are not reducible to their administrative nature, and approach the genre of literary or scientific review established in Bicilli's work.

Forced Labour of Polish and Soviet Children Under Nazi Occupation Discussion by Prof. Johannes-Dieter Steinert and Prof. Beata Halicka, 1 December 2022

The following conversation is an abridged transcript of a discussion that Prof. Dr. Beata Halicka (UAM) held with Prof. Dr. Johannes-Dieter Steinert of the University of Wolverhampton in the UK. It took place on December 1, 2022 and was the opening event of a conference entitled Little Workers: Child Labor in socio-cultural and economic perspectives throughout history. The conference was organized by the Department of Economic History, the Department of Eastern European History and the Research Unit of Cultural History and was held at the Faculty of History of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. Johannes-Dieter Steinert is a prominent specialist in the field of child forced laborers in National Socialist Germany and German occupied Eastern Europe. His books on the subject have been published in English, German and Polish.

«КАК ЖИЛ, КОГО ЛЮБИЛ, КОМУ РУКИ НЕ ПОДАЛ...» «КАК ЖИЛ, КОГО ЛЮБИЛ, КОМУ РУКИ НЕ ПОДАЛ»: К ВОПРОСУ ОБ ЭТИЧЕСКИХ ОЦЕНКАХ ПОВЕДЕНИЯ СТУДЕНТОВ ИСТОРИЧЕСКОГО ФАКУЛЬТЕТА МГУ НАЧАЛА 40-Х ГОДОВ ХХ ВЕКА

In the article on the material of memoirs of graduates of the Faculty of History of the Lomonosov Moscow State University the specific ethos characteristic of this subculture in the second half of the 1930s and the first half of the 1940s is considered. The author describes this ethos as complex, including academic ethos, political (or civil) ethos, and ethos of interpersonal relations. The analysis of sources shows that often these three elements were not separated in students' ethical perceptions and discourse. This syncretism of ethos brings them closer to the pre-revolutionary liberal Russian intelligentsia, although the political orientation of these two groups was different.

Bulgarian Historiography after 1989

Speaking on a popular TV show in 1990, soon after the collapse of the previous regime, long-time dissident and doyen of Bulgarian historical science, former Dean of the Faculty of History at the University of Sofia, Nikolay Genchev, insisted on putting the ‘Bulgarian national interest’ ‘above all’. Genchev said with regret that ‘the Bulgarian national problem has recently appeared mainly as a Turkish problem’. Irritated, he added that it is talked about ‘only for the Turks . . . [in spite of the fact that there were only] a million [Turkish] people living in this country’. He followed up with apocalyptic predictions that Yugoslavia wanted Pirin (or Bulgarian) Macedonia, Romania longed for Dobrodja (which is split between Bulgaria and Romania), the Turks claimed secession, and therefore only the ‘hard chest of the Balkan’ remained.

Περὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ θεαμάτων Pseudo-Filona Bizantyńskiego i jego zastosowanie w nauczaniu języka starogreckiego

Pseudo-Philo of Byzantium's περι των επτα θεαματων and Its Use in Teaching Ancient Greek The purpose of this article is to present the possibilities that Pseudo-Philo of Byzantium’s Περὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ θεαμάτων, a treatise on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, offers to a didactician of Ancient Greek. The article discusses the aspects of grammar, lexis and culture that can be introduced and developed using pseudo-Philo of Byzantium’s work. The following analysis is a result of the author’s work with the students in the Faculty of History of the Jagiellonian University who examined the aforementioned text during a course in the Ancient Greek language.

PAUL LEUCKFELD (1859–1930) AND THE INDUCTIVE PHILOSOPHY OF WILLIAM WHEWELL (1794–1866)

This article presents a little-studied issue of critical analysis of the main provisions of the inductive philosophy of the English thinker William Whewell (1794–1866) within the framework of university philosophy, in particular in the publications of the famous Kharkiv professor Pavlo Emilievych Leuckfeld (1859–1930). In this context, the main stages of Pavlo (Paul) Leuckfeld's creative and scientific path are indicated at the beginning, in particular his studies at the 2nd Kharkiv Gymnasium (1871–1878) and at the Faculty of History and Philology of Kharkiv University (1878–1883). Further, attention is focused on his teaching activities at Kharkiv University (1884–1918), in particular on his fellowship since 1884, teaching the history of philosophy and logic as a private docent (since 1886), extraordinary professor (since 1893) and ordinary professor of philosophy (since 1899). His participation in international philosophical and psychological congresses, in particular in Munich (1896), Geneva (1904), Heidelberg (1908), and the peculiarities of his scientific fellowship at the University of Graz (Austria) with the authoritative professor Alexius Meinong are also indicated. In addition, attention is paid to the main features of Pavlo Leuckfeld's teaching and publications during his “Simferopol (Crimean) period”, when he was a professor of philosophy and psychology there. Pavlo Leuckfeld's publications were devoted to three main areas: 1) logic and the history of logic, 2) psychology and pedagogy, and 3) the history of philosophy. Among the publications of the first direction, two of his monographs were of great importance: “Various Trends in Logic and the Main Tasks of this Science” (1890) and “Logical Doctrine of Induction in the Main Historical Moments of Its Development” (1896). In these works, he analyzed the relevant positions of famous ancient and English philosophers (Aristotle, Francis Bacon, John Herschel, and John Stuart Mill). An important place in his analysis is occupied by the critical interpretation of the inductive philosophy of William Whewell, presented in particular in the third edition of the three-volume work “History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Time” (1857). In this sense, the features of this work of the English philosopher were first pointed out, and then the main theses of Paul Leuckfeld in presenting his understanding of the position of William Whewell.

The Population of Laodicea ad Mare in Roman Times: The Structure and Vectors of Development

This article considers the social structure of Laodicea ad Mare between the second half of the 1st century A.D. and the 4th century A.D., i.e., from the beginning of the Roman rule in Syria to the time before the Islamic conquest of the region. The study relies primarily on data from epigraphic writings (such as tomb inscriptions, dedicatory texts, and signatures), as well as on narrative materials and the corpus of Roman law, which are used as additional sources. The evolution of the family institution and the property relations within Laodicean families is analyzed. A portrait of the free citizens of Laodicea who were engaged in handicrafts, especially in the textile industry, is compiled. The life of the city’s rabble is traced. The status, structure, and financial capabilities of the propertied aristocracy are described. Its impact on public life is discussed. Information is provided about the residence of Roman citizens in Laodicea and their activities and influence on the civic community of the city. The results obtained show that the social processes in Laodicea correspond to the basic trends of urban development in Late Antiquity and that this was the period when the social conflict within the Laodicean community intensified. The findings may be useful for students of history faculties and for researchers interested in the history of the Roman Empire and the Near East in Antiquity.

Ine, Decorative Art & Design: Current Issues Of The Terminology Correlation.

The aim of the article. To find out the current theoretical and terminological activity caused by the nostrification of artistic and educational processes in Ukraine and the world using educational administration. It is noted that schematics and unification come into conflict with the historically formed terminology in the field of methods of art and design education, which have become the historical image of schools. The global civilizational changes that radically weakened the resistance and ability to self-development of authentic varieties of art are considered. The loss of immunity from unification affected the field of terminology, which is a kind of indicator of changes. The starting position of novelty is the understanding that art is not a resource bound in artificial terminological schemes, but a self-sufficient value. Practical significance. Considering the old and new paradigms, building your system of values is recommended, which are concentrated in the field of terminology. Based on the analysis of a large block of literature, it is recommended to preserve the educational programs "Aesthetics", and "Philosophy of Art" as fundamental in Art Academies of modern Ukraine. The conducted analysis of the literature draws attention to the terminological developments of the Faculty of History and Theory of Art of the Lviv National Academy of Arts, which require systematic continuation. Main results. It has been observed that the obsessive juxtaposition of classical and non-classical vectors of creation, as well as "old and new" terminological systems, psychologically traumatizes artists. Contrasting and unifying involuntarily distorts the truth, and thus harms the art itself. During the periods of Ukraine's statelessness, the enemies politically "justified" the new terms as "relevant" and interpreted the national terms as "obsolete". It is recommended that artists-pedagogues and art historians establish the mission of interpreters and "talismans" of the primary and newest values of fine, applied art and design. The need to correlate artistic and administrative-educational terminology in one's language has been put forward as a major problem. In particular, using the example of fine and decorative arts, it is proposed to use the existing administrative and terminological division of specialties "by default". However, the content-conceptual part of educational programs should be enriched with a historically verified spectrum of terms and concepts with their inherent local connotations. It has been observed that in the historical-artistic and sacral-morphological sense, the term "applied art" is not the same as "craft". The relevance of the commonly used by leading Ukrainian art critics of the 19th and early 20th centuries has been proven of the term "applied": that which is "in life", "in use". It is emphasized that global civilizational changes have radically weakened the resilience and ability to self-develop authentic varieties of applied art. The loss of immunity from administrative unification hurt the field of terminology, which is a kind of indicator of changes

Preface

The current volume is a part of the annual series of conference on Viet Nam’s Seas and Islands organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City. This is the second year the conference is being held, in collaboration with the Faculty of Geography, Faculty of History, Center for Ocean, Island and Climate Change Studies, and Center for Strategic Research.The conference “Potential for Exploitation and Development of Coastal Zone in Vietnam”, which was held on April 26th 2023, focuses on the history of maritime exploitation, assessing the potential for economic development, and environmental protection towards sustainable development. Total of 61 papers were received from various research institutions across the country. Among those papers, 24 papers were selected and transferred to the publication process and 16 papers are published.The content of the articles is diverse, and they contribute significantly from five different research perspectives:1. Environmental scientific approaches provide insights into natural resources, sedimentation, erosion assessment, GIS applications for groundwater evaluation, solid waste management, and various aspects of coastal ecosystem management.2. Anthropological approaches delved into the challenges of development choices: whether to prioritize family livelihoods or safeguard maritime security and the marine environment. This presents a significant issue in Viet Nam’s sustainable development.3. Historical approaches were employed to study the evolution of exploitation and clarify policy changes across dynasties and issues related to Viet Nam’s maritime sovereignty throughout different historical periods.4. Economic approaches highlighted directions to natural resources for maritime economic development, coastal tourism, eco-tourism, and fishing along the country’s coastline.5. Lastly, cultural approaches painted a vivid picture of the coastal fishermen, folk songs, indigenous knowledge, and the role of women in preserving and developing coastal areas.The organizers would like to express the appreciation to all of the authors who contributed to the success of the volume, as well as the committee members and reviewers who gave their time and expertise to ensure the scientific quality of the papers. Following that, we would like to thank our colleagues, particularly those on the Advisory Center for Publication and Project Development (CAP) team, who assisted us throughout the editorial process and who were always willing to offer helpful advice based on their extensive experience. Lastly, we wish to convey our appreciation for Prof. Joanna Zawiejska, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Giang, and Ms. Natalia Popielska for English editing and comments on our papers.We trust that the published research provides both educational and informative value. Our aim is for the selected papers to serve as inspiration, motivating readers to advance their own research career, as well as contribute to the sustainable development of Viet Nam’s marine environments and coastal zones. Editorial board Prof. Dr. Vo Van Sen; Dr. Le Thanh Hoa, and Dr. Pham Thi Bich Ngoc Organizer: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang St., Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam Sponsors:1. University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City2. Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City under the grant number ÐA2019-18b-01 Technical supports: Advisory Center for Publication and Project Development, USSH, VNUHCMList of Steering Committee, Organizing Conference Committee, Scientific Conference Committee and Conference Secretariat are available in this pdf.

Проблемы профессиональной межкультурной коммуникации: гибридные формы обучения в цифровую эпоху

In the Digital Age the focus of the modern educational process has radically shifted to give way to new forms and methods of educational activity due to the introduction of the digital technologies in the education system. Digital technologies open new vistas for the education system reform to introduce new methods to the professionally oriented L2 teaching necessary for effective cross-cultural communication. Blended learning is the first stage of the education system reform to meet the challenges of the time. It is evident that the modern education system requires optimization of its methods and activities. To achieve this, it is necessary to analyze and systematize the professionally oriented L2 curriculum, outline the problematic aspects, introduce innovative digital technologies in order to create effective IOT (Individual Educational Trajectory) for each individual student. Information, communication and digital technologies integrate text, graphic and video images, speech and music, making education multimodal. L2 teaching at the History Faculty has taken into account both hard skills and soft skills to equip history students with deep knowledge and expand their outlook by developing their critical thinking, creativity, research competence to prepare them for independent scholarly, academic, pedagogical and social activities.

A Work Out of Time: Religion and the Decline of Magic at Fifty

Abstract The year 2021 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Keith Thomas’s Religion and the Decline of Magic (1971), a book that set the agenda for decades of scholarship on the history of popular religion and supernatural beliefs. The book brought to life a lost world of early modern English magic, its success ultimately confirming popular beliefs and practices as respectable objects of historical study. This review essay, emerging out of a conference celebrating the book’s legacy, explores why Religion and the Decline of Magic came to have such a lasting hold on the historical imagination and why, despite half a century of historiographical development, it has managed to achieve a kind of ahistorical permanence. The essay traces this apparent timelessness, in part, to the book’s contested origins. Religion and the Decline of Magic was an unusual and unexpected work to emerge out of the Oxford History Faculty and the maelstrom of social history in the 1960s. While much attention has been paid to its engagement with anthropological theory, we argue that the book’s longevity owes more to its status as ethnography and to Thomas’s methods as a historian, allowing generations of new readers to gain fresh insights from a work out of time.