The Institutionalisation of the Field "Early Modern History" (Germany, Europe, USA)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Wolfgang Behringer
• Subject Area: Early Modern History ; Modern and Contemporary History
• Term: from 2009 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 111042042

The project The Institutionalisation of the Field Early Modern History (Germany, Europe, USA) examines the emergence and the establishment of a new historical sub-discipline on a transnational scale.The emergence of Early Modern History has changed the time-honoured order of history. The classic trilogy of AncientMedievalModern has been replaced by a division of history into four parts, a division increasingly adopted by related disciplines. This has repercussions for our understanding of history as the time after the year 1500 can no longer be understood as the beginning of our time. Meanwhile, the status of this historical period between medieval and modern times has been the subject of intense debate.Until now, the history of historiography has not dealt with this transformation. The present project tries to grasp the phenomenon of this new historical period from multiple viewpoints. The goal is not a normative vindication of the constructed period, but rather the ascertainment and interpretation of the actual shifts within the historical profession.In the first project phase, research was carried out on three levels. Drawing on a history of concepts approach, the usage of the words Früh(e) Neuzeit in German and early modern in English was systematically analysed. In both languages, the usage of the concept has increased continuously since 1900. As early as the interwar period, a distinctive model for the definition of a historical period can be identified. In a second step, the institutionalisation was reconstructed on the basis of the development of scientific journals, book series, and professional organizations. In the case of Germany, the establishment of chairs in Early Modern History was retraced. Thirdly, a large number of German and foreign historians were questioned as historical witnesses. The findings of this multileveled research have generated a multitude of new insights into the formation of the field and the reorganization of history.The current project builds on these results and continues the work in three new areas of research. Based on the conceptual findings, the epistemic process of constructing the new period is closely followed. Calls for the introduction of a new period between medieval and modern times can be traced back to the early twentieth century. This first part focuses on the dynamics of these discussions and the transnational transfer of ideas that led to the emergence of Early Modern History.Secondly, the project reviews the institutionalisation of the field at German universities. Using a sociology of science approach, this development is surveyed as an example of the emergence of a sub-discipline. This in turn will be compared to similar developments in other scientific fields.Finally, the results of the oral history research cast light on the repercussions of the periodical reorganization of history. They will be integrated into a book on the discipline as seen by its main actors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants