History of Political Thoughts and Institutions Subprogram | Doctoral School of History and Ethnology

Description of the History of Political Thoughts and Institutions Subprogramme

This subprogramme provides a framework and scholarly background for PhD research projects in the fields of the history of political thought (intellectual history), political institutional history, press history, and the emerging field of renewed political history, as well as in modern historiography. It supports research based on extensive use of primary sources and seeks to reflect the latest findings in historical scholarship, historiography, and related disciplines. The subprogramme emphasizes theoretical reflection, methodological openness (e.g., toward new approaches such as political biography), and an interdisciplinary orientation. In terms of its course offerings, the subprogramme places particular emphasis on theoretical and methodological foundations. Doctoral students are introduced to the intentionalist-contextualist (“Cambridge School”) and conceptualist (Begriffsgeschichte) approaches, to discourse analysis through the study of theories of nationalism and classical political ideas (studied retrospectively), and to relevant analytical frameworks. The program focuses on phenomena of the modern and post-modern eras, thereby offering an open and inclusive space for all scholars whose research relates to aspects of 18th–21st century history.

The necessity and scholarly basis for the subprogramme stem from a long-term trend within the doctoral training in history at the University of Debrecen, where topics in political history, the history of political ideas, and institutional history have held significant weight (approximately 40% of dissertation projects). The subprogram has operated as an independent unit since 2012, when the structure of the Historical Doctoral Program was reformed to align with the Bologna system and the structure of disciplinary MA specializations. As Dr. Ferenc Velkey was responsible for the MA specialization in the history of political thought and institutions, he also became the head of the subprogramme: a position he has been holding currently as well. In its first decade, the subprogramme laid the groundwork for TDK and PhD topics through both a dedicated BA specialization (led by Dr. György Miru) and a disciplinary MA specialization. Its core courses have since been incorporated into the unified DMA (Doctor of Liberal Arts) program. Courses affiliated with the subprogram are taught primarily by scholars actively conducting research in these areas. However, these colleagues also contribute to other subprograms, and likewise, scholars from other areas contribute to this one. Thus, the subprogram functions not as a closed research group but as an integrative hub for its broader thematic field.

Due to its thematic scope, the subprogram integrates not only affiliated researchers but also their academic achievements and international scholarly networks. For further details, see the individual academic CVs. The collaborative nature of the subprogram has already been demonstrated in joint work between faculty and doctoral students in the research group studying modern sites of memory in Hungarian national consciousness (2010–2012, project leader: Dr. Ferenc Velkey, funded by project TÁMOP-4.2.1/B-09/1/KONV-2010-0007), resulting in the publication of three volumes comprising 16 studies in foreign languages and 36 in Hungarian. In addition, the historiography research group (2007–2024, led by Dr. Vilmos Erős) provided regular opportunities for scholarly dialogue and conferences, including three major international conferences in historiography, which involved numerous doctoral students and talented university students.

Among the collective achievements of the subprogram are further academic conferences (A politika nyelvei történeti perspektívában 2013; Széchenyi István (és kortársai) ego-dokumentumok tükrében 2022.) as well as two edited volumes:

• „Nincs egy igaz barátom se!” Tanulmányok Széchenyi István politikai kapcsolatainak történetéhez. (Speculum Historiae Debreceniense 10.) Szerk.: Velkey Ferenc. Debreceni Egyetemi Kiadó, Debrecen 2012. –204. (Online)
• „Politica philosophiai okoskodás” Politikai nyelvek és történeti kontextusok a középkortól a 20. századig. Szerk.: Fazakas Gergely Tamás – Miru György – Velkey Ferenc. Debreceni Egyetem, Debrecen, 2013. –354. (Online)

Present Members of The Subprogramme

PhD students of the Subprogramme