Ten years of historical sociology in Prague: A new perspective branch of Czech sociology

Abstract

About ten years ago, a new theoretical branch appeared in Czech sociology -historical sociology. The first step and prerequisite for its development was publication of the impressive collective monograph Historical Sociology: Theory of Long-Term Development (edited by J. Šubrt) including works of famous Czech social scientists (P. Machonin, M. Petrusek, J. Musil, M. Hroch and others). The concept of historical sociology curriculum appeared in 2007, its form gradually developed in the discussions of J. Šubrt, J.P. Arnason (La Trobe University), M. Havelka (Charles University) and W. Spohn (University of Wroclaw). In 2008, its accreditation documents were prepared under the guidance of J. Šubrt, and it was included in the academic year 2009/2010 schedule. At the same time, at the Faculty of Humanities of the Charles University the Department of Historical Sociology was founded. Until now, there are Master's and PhD programs in Historical Sociology in Czech in the form of regular daily and combined (distance) studies.In the academic year 2012/2013, a doctoral studies program was also opened, and both programs -Master's and PhD's -started in English. The article considers the decade-long development of historical sociology in the Czech Republic focusing on the research and study programs at the Faculty of Humanities of the Charles University. The author explains how historical sociology is defined and developing in the Czech Republic, emphasizing its research traditions and current interests. The article pays particular attention to the topics and representatives of historical sociology mentioning the importance of its publicationsboth monographs and the journal established in 2009. To conclude, the author summarizes the results of the current stage of the development of Czech historical sociology, its challenges and risks, hopes and perspectives. Ten years is usually a very short period for any science but for Czech historical sociology they became a period of significant results.

Historical Sociology in Poland: Transformations of the Uses of the Past

“…Such inclusiveness shifts conceptual boundaries, which may be read not only as a consequence of the cultural turn in the social sciences but also as a result of the decreasing importance of Marxism as a source of inspiration, following, among other things, the fall of the eastern Bloc. 23 Historical sociology in east Central europe has not developed in a linear manner alongside the Western variant, and differences among the countries of the region are substantial. While in some countries, such as Czechoslovakia and later Czechia, historical sociology has a long tradition and can claim a place of its own among the sociological subdisciplines, 24 in some others, as in Russia, it is only now emerging as a self-standing field.…”

Mobilization of the Classics in Sociology

“…The classical proposals were essential in the process of institutionalization of sociology. Furthermore, they have influenced and continue to influence contemporary sociological theories (Serpa, 2017;Michetti, 2019;Narbut, 2019;Cockerham, 2014;Susen & Turner, 2011;Michalski, 2008). Susen and Turner (2011) advocate that the knowledge and mobilization of classical sociological texts are extremely relevant (Table 1).…”

Time as a key aspect of historical sociology

“…N.P. Narbut emphasized Šubrt's activities in the field of historical sociology [1]. In this article, I will focus on Šubrt's book published last year by the Palgrave Macmillan, but also underlie his long-term professional interests as reflected in this latest work and his previous publications.…”