LFU:online

Students deal with new themes in selected key areas. They understand and evaluate them as well as argument with regards to scientific dynamics and trends of the respective key areas. They understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different methodological approaches. They gain competences in independent formulating of questions and argumentations.

In 1525, the south of the Holy Roman Empire was shaken by serious peasant uprisings. The county of Tyrol was also the scene of these revolts by the ‘common man’ against the authorities. Michael Gaismair, who was born in Tschöfs near Sterzing, became one of the central figures of the Tyrolean and Salzburg 'Peasants' War' of 1525/26. Exactly 100 years later, another major uprising took place in what is now the province of Upper Austria, which was repeatedly shaken by smaller and larger peasant revolts. In 1713, the peasant subjects in Tolmein (Tolmin) in present-day Slovenia rose up, in 1846 in Galicia and in 1848 Avram Iancu led Romanian peasants in Transylvania against the Hungarian nobility.

What do all these uprisings - or were they 'wars'? - have in common, why these almost regular outbreaks of unrest? How did the authorities react, what measures were taken to end and pacify them, did these uprisings have an impact on legislation, did the situation of the peasant lower classes improve afterwards? These are just a few of the questions that the seminar will address during the period from the 16th to the end of the 19th century in the Habsburg Monarchy.

theme centered inputs and reading, discussions and oral presentations.

Course examination according to § 7, statute section on "study-law regulations".

Active participation, reading, presentation, written final paper

Continuous assessment (based on written and oral contributions by participants).

A bibliography will be handed out at the beginning of the course.