LFU:online

Acquisition of basic skills for dealing with historic sources and presentations of 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.

How old did people get in the past? What did they die of? What was the consequence of being born illegitimately and how regularly did it happen? What do the age of the bride and groom and the date of a wedding tell us about early modern societies? With which frequency and with which effects did epidemics and famines occur and did wars event affect the populations?

Population history or historical demography deals with these and other questions about demographic structures and developments (key words: "epidemiological" and "demographic transition"). The proseminar takes up these questions and offers an introduction to the topics of population history as well as one of its central sources: Parish registers. These registers of births, marriages, and deaths, most of which date back to the 17th century, provide the central information needed to pursue the questions addressed. However, parish registers are not only valuable sources for scientific research, but also for genealogical research, which is becoming increasingly popular today. The students should gain an insight into the interesting analyses that can be made from the - supposedly dry - data that can be obtained from them.

Introduction to the topic and the relevant sources by the course instructor; joint reading and discussion of relevant literature and sources; working on individual topics individually or in small groups; presentations and discussion of the (partial) results

Compulsory attendance; active participation in the course (participation in discussions, preparation of compulsory reading, etc.), independent work on a topic with interim submissions, presentation and PS paper

Will be announced in class. The research of further literature represents a part of the task to be performed.

Andreas Weigl, Bevölkerungsgeschichte Europas. Von den Anfängen bis in die Gegenwart, Wien/Köln/Weimar 2012.

Positive assessment of compulsory module 1. The respective proof ought to be produced until the end of October 2021.

Online registration necessary!