Global History at the University of Vienna
The Forschungsschwerpunkt Globalgeschichte (FSP Global History) brings together Vienna-based scholars and students who are interested in studying global processes from a wide variety of perspectives, including different world regions and ranging broadly from social history to international history. Members of the FSP Global History come from a number of different disciplines, such as history, political science, development studies, and area studies. This interdisciplinary approach is also reflected in the two master programs on Global History and Global Studies that are connected to the FSP: the Vienna-based MA Globalgeschichte und Global Studies and the European Master in Global Studies (EMGS) which connects different universities across Europe.
The FSP organizes several events and formats which are recurring every year. To feature our annual theme, we hold an annual lecture at the beginning of each academic year, and we host a workshop aimed at, and organized by, younger researchers from Vienna and beyond. We also convene a monthly seminar on the topic “Where is the Global?” where we invite Vienna-based global historians to discuss their ongoing research projects.
INTERSECTING INEQUALITIES
In 2023-24, the FSP will focus on intersecting inequalities in a global perspective. For this purpose, we aim to think about various dimensions of inequality, such as property relations, urban-rural divides, gender orders, or labour relations, concurrently. For this annual theme, we will collaborate with the research group Figurations of Inequality. The FSP will also fund smaller-scale projects related to this annual theme (for further information, please see: Call for Applications, application deadline: 15 December 2023).
(IM)MOBILITIES
In 2024-25, our annual theme will be devoted to the study of (im)mobilities in global history. Collaborating with scholars in the field of migration studies at the University of Vienna, we aim to broaden our understanding of mobility, including the movement of people, goods, and ideas. We will also reflect on the methodological concern how to grant immobile and disconnected people and phenomena greater attention in global history.
TEMPORALITIES
In 2025-26, the FSP will explore the temporal dimension in global history. This includes interrogating how time shapes social processes and addressing how historical actors conceptualise their past, present and future. We will also ask ourselves how a global historical perspective questions standard periodisations and visions of historical change.