Projects / Programmes
Images of Economic and Social Modernisation in Slovenia in the 19th and 20th Centuries (Economic and Social History of Slovenia)
January 1, 2015
- December 31, 2021
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.01.00 |
Humanities |
Historiography |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H270 |
Humanities |
Social and economic history |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.01 |
Humanities |
History and Archaeology |
economic history, social history, economic modernization, social modernization, 19th Century, 20th Century, Slovenia, social institutions, economic institutions, transition, transformation, society, economy, economic and social regimes
Researchers (11)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
In the research program The Images if economic and social modernization (Economic and social history of Slovenia) we will give attention in the next period on the basic problems of economic and social transformation of Slovene territory in the 19 and 20th century in the context of European economic and social development. The timespan of proposed program is limited by the existence of modern economic and social systems in Slovenia: capitalism, socialism/communism and the period of transition. In the term of political geography the proposition include in research agenda the existence of states of Habsburg monarchy, Yugoslavia and independent Slovenia after 1991. The submitted programme scheme is based on two conceptual principles: long‑term nature and comparativeness of historical processes. With the first concept we provide the possibilities for better and deeper understanding of economic and social processes in the context of developmental codependency of economy and society. The principle of comparativeness will enable us to confront the dynamics of historical phenomena’s in Slovenia with regional and European historical backgrounds. As a research questions we emphasize the continuities and discontinuities of economic and social development and the phases of so called transitions/transformations.
In the first place, we will follow the initial research dilemma of the quality of economic and social development in Slovenia in the context of emergence and existence of social and economic institutions, their historical characteristics. In the actual scientific discussions on the quality and the dynamics of historical development, the institutions are considered to have a crucial role in the process of modernization. Systems of effective institutions are also considered as a prerequisite for the sustainable long-term economic and social development.
With proposed program, we express our intention to implement the conceptual framework of institutional theory in historiographical research. Institutional theory provides us with the opportunity for synergic use of methodological apparatus of historiography and that of social sciences. With such an approach we bring together the empirical and conceptual framework of proposed research program. Although there are different or partial definitions of term institution (in different scientific disciplines), we are also dealing with the common widely accepted definition. The concept of Douglas C. North is such a case, where institutions are the “rules” in the economy and society. Rules lower the uncertainty on one hand and on the other they determinate the behavior of individuals or organizations in the economic and social life; institutions regulate their relations and cooperation. We consider institutions as phenomena’s of formal and informal nature, which as a standard determinate the quality and dynamics of economic and social development. The analysis on the base of institutions, their forms in historical process, provide us with knowledge on the developmental and comparative features of society in long-term perspective.
Significance for science
Program research group is the only one in Slovenia with the clearly defined research agenda in economic and social history in the period of modern history. In recent years, the group has developed its own scientific identity within the Slovene historiography and humanities. Based on its research achievements the dialog with the international historiographical community in the field of economic and social history is enabled. Besides that, the conception of group research work include the contextualization of Slovene economic and social phenomena into the broader European development path in the long term and comparative perspective. With such approach, we stimulate the exchange of knowledge, new methodology of research work and established research praxis into the Slovene historiographical apparatus. If we want to include the Slovenian economic and social experiences into the wider geographical area of Central Europe or Europe as a whole, then it is necessary to carry out a comparison of the Slovenian situation with its closer as well as broader environment in order to complete an integral analysis. Such an approach ensures a realistic comparison and evaluation of Slovenian economic and social development. At the same time, Slovenian distinctiveness and characteristics in the closer and broader economic, social and political environment are emphasized each time. It is also not possible to neglect the fact that simultaneously we also see the incorporation of Slovenia into the European economic and social historical dimensions, into the processes and forces, which were not only a Slovenian peculiarity, but were characteristic of the environments where Slovenians used to live in the past. At the same time the programme group shall use various methodological approaches and upgrade the usual historiographical methodology with interdisciplinarity. The programme group will pave the way for a specific area of economic and social history within Slovenian historiography, ensuring its recognition in the broader European scientific environment with the publishing of articles in foreign scientific journals, chapters in monographs, with the presenation of our research work on international conferences and with participation in international projects.
Significance for the country
Suggested research program has a direct impact on the field of preserving the national cultural heritage and presenting it in a comprehensive manner. Historical dimensions of the economic and social aspects in the history of the Slovenian territory introduce additional elements into the conceptualisation of the cultural and historical memory, of the Slovene national imaginary, as it exists now. The work involves a distinctive and analytic interaction between economy and society in a long period, covering two centuries, presented at the synthetic level. The realisation of the suggested program with the knowledge-synthesised keeps further expanding the area of discussion within contemporary Slovenian historiography in the field of economic and social history. The acquisition of new realisations about the interaction between society and economy in a broad context in the empirical as well as interpretative framework allows for the communication of the Slovenian scientific sphere with foreign expert circles, ensuring empirical and interpretative foundations for other humanities and social science disciplines in Slovenia. By exchanging knowledge and experience in the broader international space, integration into the contemporary historiographical developments will be furthered, while the upgrading of our own realisations with the corpus of the information from the European and world context will be stimulated. Because of communication with the international environment and the foreign academic communities, Slovenian economic and social history is becoming distinctive and integrated into the broader European and world comparative historical overviews. With the pedagogic activities and by preparing the textbooks and other study materials, the group also ensures the transfer of knowledge from the scientific to the educational sphere. Other dissemination procedures enable the understanding of the co-dependent relationship between society and economy in the historical perspective. We should also underline the strengthening or encouragement of the social sensitivity for the importance of industrial/economic heritage as an integral part of the national non/material cultural heritage and thus also an element of the national self-awareness.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2015,
interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2015,
interim report
