LFU:online

Acquisition of basic skills for dealing with historic sources and presentations in Austrian History as well as skills in presenting the newly acquired knowledge orally as well as in writing. Acquisition of basic knowledge and application of relevant methods aiding scientific research.

This course goes beyond the usual history of Austria, which is usually limited to the European dimension, so that we can reorient our geographical perspective to the global level. As a participant in this course, you will learn to practically apply the concept of global history. You will reconceptualise your understanding of world history and the history of Austria from the early modern period to the present from a global perspective.

Over the centuries, the Habsburgs were involved in the colonisation of America, the exploration of Asia, the conquest of Africa and the exploration of nature from the mountains of Tibet to the depths of the Mediterranean, from the polar regions to the Amazon rainforest. The Austrian Habsburg dynasty at times occupied large parts of Central Europe, the Netherlands, the Italian peninsula and the Adriatic, as well as overseas territories in present-day Bengal, China, Gujarat, Madagascar, Mozambique and Sudan. The Habsburg dynasty itself counted among its members two imperial rulers in America, a protector of the Holy Land, a claim to the Western Hemisphere and supported missions (religious and scientific) around the world. In this course we will analyse in more detail the sources of the global interconnectedness of Central Europe. We will discover material objects, use online databases and employ digital tools to redefine our spatial conceptions of Habsburg history. You will use all these sources and methods to write your own seminar paper at the end of the semester.

Preparation and discussion of scientific texts, source analysis, interactive presentation of research questions and sources, and preparing a seminar paper. Guest lectures by experts are also planned as well as the use of online databases and programmes.

Preparation and discussion of scientific texts, source analysis, interactive presentation of research questions and sources, and preparing a seminar paper.

Martyn Rady, The Habsburgs: The Rise and Fall of World Power (London, 2020), Chps. 6, 8, 18, 27.

Positive assessment in compulsory module 1 and corresponding proof of completion should be provided by the end of October 2022.

Online registration is required!