V. Kulikov, L. Posochova

Social History of Ukraine in XVIII-early XX th Centuries

In the Context of European Modernization.

( V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Research Project, Supported by

OSI Higher Education Support Program Academic Fellowship Program).

In April 2005 The Research Project presented by the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Department of History of Ukraine won the competition of Open Society Institute Higher Education Support Program Academic Fellowship Program. The research of Social History of Ukraine in XVIII-early XX th Centuries was chosen by the department as one of the main strategic vectors in the work of the department, a set of special courses was offered to the students and post-graduates on the problem of social history.

The urgency of the chosen problem can be explained by the necessity to introduce the achievements of modern historical science into the curriculum and to overcome the political approach to the history of Ukraine. Though the social problems in Ukrainian history are quite popular, there are no generalized works on the social history of Ukraine in XVIII-early XX th centuries. The absence influences the contents of the text-books and lectures delivered to the students. The political approach to the history of Ukraine leads to its negative perception. The famous Ukrainian writer and public figure Volodymir Vinnichenco once remarked “… you have to read the history of Ukraine with bromide”, and it fully characterizes the situation.

We proceed from the normal it’s of the Ukrainian society development. The history of Ukraine is more complicated, more tragic than that of the European neighbors, but on the whole it is developing according to the same laws and tendencies as the history of other countries of Europe. From this point we derive out historical optimism. It is evident for us, that the main processes which took place in the Ukrainian society during XVIII and the beginning of the XX century were typical for the social development of most countries of Western Europe. Namely, such processes are transition from estate society to non-estate class society; from community to civil society and jural state; from traditional to rational interpersonal relations; from authoritarian family relations to democratic egalitarian type ones; from traditional ethics to bourgeois labour one. On the whole the development took place in the direction of broadening freedom and human rights, in the direction of market economy formation and modernization and secularization of mass consciousness.

For the first time in Ukraine, the Department focuses on social historical research in training undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the History of Ukraine. This is a principal change in the approach towards undergraduate and graduate student training. The Department's faculty has chosen such a vector, because their own research is conducted within this subject area. Such a choice will integrate scientific achievements into the academic process and introduce interactive methods of teaching, including creative laboratories, specialized seminars, etc.

We are planning to pay special attention to the study of such aspects of social history of Ukraine as the history of family of XIX century; social structure and social mobility; estate organization; population analysis; the history of daily occurrences etc.

The offered specialized course has not been taught in Ukraine yet; there are no corresponding readers, textbooks, and book-readers yet as well. Only a supply of complete sets of academic literature for undergraduate and graduate students will allow us to train professionals of the European standard and to properly organize the academic process. In the frame of the project we plan to make a reading-book and textbook “Social History of Ukraine in XVIII-early XX th Centuries”, delivering special lectures (courses), to prepare bookreaders for special courses on Social History of Ukraine. In this respect we are also planning to develop cooperation with the main centers of studying social history in Europe.

The Department plans to invite foreign researchers to take part in methodological seminars at the Department of the History of Ukraine, to conduct a pre-diploma seminar for the Department's graduate students, to work as co-advisers of master degree papers, and to give consultations to post-graduate students. The Department intends to invite famous scientists to participate in scientific research seminars and conferences organized by the Department.