LFU:online

Acquisition of the skill, to formulate a suitable question on a topic in Austrian History after the research discussion. ability to analyse a topic supported by sources; ability to present the research results in an appropriate way with regards to contents and form; skill to critically reflect on the relevance and the methods of own’s own work.

The seminar will be held jointly with students from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Duisburg-Essen, Wrocław, Opava and Ljubljana. We will examine different discussions and concepts of identity and the historical narratives they contain, comparing Austria with other European countries. The question of the lure of populism will be a particular focus.

In times of rising populism, it is important to make tools available to unmask discourses and narratives which are used to construct identity. These narratives conveyed in populist speeches and texts have to be contextualized. This means that the lines of argumentation and their content will be traced back from their current references to their history, thereby allowing their development and consistency as well as their chameleonic adaptation to the respective new contexts to be delineated. Collaboration across the varied disciplines of political science, media studies, history, and literature enables a broad approach.

We meet:

• at the beginning of the semester in two face-to-face sessions (Tuesdays, 13.45-15.15 on 7 and 14 October)
• in December and January for two virtual sessions (Tuesdays, 13.45-15.15 on 2 December and 13 January)
• and in an intensive in-person phase in February in Innsbruck: 16–20 February 2026 with discussions in the mornings and excursions in the afternoon (all costs will be covered by Erasmus+)

Theme centered inputs and reading, discussions and oral presentations.

Active participation, reading, short exercises, presentation, written final paper.