Universität Wien

070054 SE Seminar Contemporary History (2026S)

8.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 7 - Geschichte
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Th 21.05. 09:45-11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

The course consists of sessions of 90 minutes each and begins on 19 March.

Selected sessions will take place as joint online meetings in cooperation with the University of Innsbruck. Any changes to the schedule or course format will be communicated in due time via the learning platform.

  • Thursday 05.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 19.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 26.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 16.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 23.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 30.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 07.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 28.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 11.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 18.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Thursday 25.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 2, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The seminar provides core competencies in historical biographical research, using the history of migration in Austria in the 20th century as its central case. The aim is for students to independently produce a short academic biography and to situate individual life histories within broader historical contexts.

The course focuses on migration experiences from the late Habsburg period to the 1990s, including flight, expulsion, labor migration, and political emigration. The biographical approach offers a perspective on contemporary history “from below.”

The seminar is research-led and project-oriented. Content is conveyed through independent research, work with sources, as well as presentations and discussions in workshop formats. A particular emphasis is placed on collaborative learning and peer feedback.

The individual projects developed in the seminar are brought together into a collective biography and subsequently published.

Assessment and permitted materials

Die Leistungskontrolle erfolgt kontinuierlich im Rahmen eines forschungsgeleiteten Seminarprozesses. Zu den zu erbringenden Leistungen zählen die aktive Teilnahme an Diskussionen und Workshops, die Entwicklung und Präsentation einer eigenständigen Fragestellung, regelmäßige Arbeitsfortschritte (inkl. kurzer schriftlicher Beiträge), die Ausarbeitung einer wissenschaftlichen Kurzbiografie sowie das Verfassen einer Peer-Review zu einer studentischen Arbeit.

Die Beurteilung basiert auf der Qualität der schriftlichen Arbeit, der methodischen Umsetzung, der Einbindung in den historischen Kontext sowie der aktiven Mitarbeit im Seminar und im kollaborativen Austausch.

Als Hilfsmittel sind sämtliche wissenschaftlichen Arbeitsmittel zulässig, insbesondere Fachliteratur, Archivquellen sowie digitale Recherchetools. Die Verwendung von Hilfsmitteln hat nach den Regeln guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis zu erfolgen; alle verwendeten Quellen und Hilfsmittel sind entsprechend zu kennzeichnen.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Assessment is continuous and based on a research-led seminar process. Requirements include active participation in discussions and workshops, the development and presentation of an individual research question, regular progress work (including short written contributions), the preparation of a short academic biography, and the writing of a peer review of another student’s work.

Evaluation is based on the quality of the written assignment, the methodological approach, the integration into the broader historical context, and active engagement in the seminar and collaborative exchange.

All standard academic resources are permitted, including scholarly literature, archival sources, and digital research tools. All materials must be used in accordance with the principles of academic integrity, and all sources and aids must be properly cited.

Examination topics

Assessment covers the key concepts and methods of biographical research as well as Austrian migration history addressed in the seminar. Students are expected to develop and complete a short academic biography, present and discuss their work in progress, and actively participate in the seminar, including peer feedback.

Reading list

A comprehensive overview of the relevant literature can be found in the collective review published on the Margins of Memory blog: https://mom.univie.ac.at/?p=430

This review represents the only comprehensive synthesis of scholarship on the history of migration in Austria in both the First and Second Republics.

Association in the course directory

EAR: Zeitgeschichte.
MEd UF GP (Version 2015): UF MA GP 01 Fachwissenschaft , SE Vertiefungsseminar 1: Quellenkunde und Quellenkritik (6 ECTS).
MA Geschichte (Version 2019): PM4 Individuelle Schwerpunktsetzung, SE Seminar aus Geschichte (8 ECTS).
IDMA Zeitgeschichte und Medien (Version 2019): M4a SE Seminar zu Zeitgeschichte und Medien, SE Seminar aus Zeitgeschichte (8 ECTS) / M4b Wahlbereich - Spezialthemen zu Zeitgeschichte und Medien II, SE Seminar (8 ECTS, Bereich Zeitgeschichte).

Last modified: Th 19.03.2026 09:26