The Institutionalisation of the Field "Early Modern History" (Germany, Europe, USA)

早期现代史（德国、欧洲、美国）的制度化研究项目考察了一个新的历史分支学科在跨国范围内的出现和建立。早期现代史的出现改变了历史学由来已久的秩序。古代-中世纪-现代的经典三部曲已经被历史分为四部分所取代，这种划分越来越多地被相关学科所采用。这影响了我们对历史的理解，因为1500年之后的时间不再被理解为我们时代的开始。同时，关于这一历史时期在中世纪与近代之间的地位问题，一直存在着激烈的争论，迄今为止，史学史尚未涉及这一历史时期的转型问题。本项目试图从多个角度把握这一新的历史时期的现象。其目的不是对建构时期进行规范性辩护，而是查明和解释历史专业内部的实际变化。在第一个项目阶段，研究在三个层面上进行。利用概念史的方法，系统地分析了Früh（e）Neuzeit一词在德语中的用法和早期现代英语中的用法。自1900年以来，这一概念在两种语言中的使用不断增加。早在两次世界大战之间的时期，就可以确定一个定义历史时期的独特模式。第二步，在发展科学期刊、丛书和专业组织的基础上重建了制度化。在德国的情况下，建立椅子在近代早期历史追溯。第三，大量德国和外国历史学家作为历史见证人受到质询。这一多层次的研究成果为该领域的形成和历史的重组提供了许多新的见解。本项目以这些成果为基础，继续在三个新的研究领域开展工作。基于概念发现，构建新时期的认识过程被密切关注。关于在中世纪和现代之间引入一个新时期的呼吁可以追溯到世纪初。第一部分着重于这些讨论的动态和导致早期现代史出现的思想的跨国转移。第二，该项目回顾了德国大学该领域的制度化。使用科学社会学的方法，这种发展是调查作为一个例子出现的一个子学科。最后，口述史研究的成果，也可以说明历史分期整理的影响。它们将被纳入一本关于该学科主要参与者所看到的学科的书。

The project The Institutionalisation of the Field Early Modern History (Germany, Europe, USA) examines the emergence and the establishment of a new historical sub-discipline on a transnational scale.The emergence of Early Modern History has changed the time-honoured order of history. The classic trilogy of AncientMedievalModern has been replaced by a division of history into four parts, a division increasingly adopted by related disciplines. This has repercussions for our understanding of history as the time after the year 1500 can no longer be understood as the beginning of our time. Meanwhile, the status of this historical period between medieval and modern times has been the subject of intense debate.Until now, the history of historiography has not dealt with this transformation. The present project tries to grasp the phenomenon of this new historical period from multiple viewpoints. The goal is not a normative vindication of the constructed period, but rather the ascertainment and interpretation of the actual shifts within the historical profession.In the first project phase, research was carried out on three levels. Drawing on a history of concepts approach, the usage of the words Früh(e) Neuzeit in German and early modern in English was systematically analysed. In both languages, the usage of the concept has increased continuously since 1900. As early as the interwar period, a distinctive model for the definition of a historical period can be identified. In a second step, the institutionalisation was reconstructed on the basis of the development of scientific journals, book series, and professional organizations. In the case of Germany, the establishment of chairs in Early Modern History was retraced. Thirdly, a large number of German and foreign historians were questioned as historical witnesses. The findings of this multileveled research have generated a multitude of new insights into the formation of the field and the reorganization of history.The current project builds on these results and continues the work in three new areas of research. Based on the conceptual findings, the epistemic process of constructing the new period is closely followed. Calls for the introduction of a new period between medieval and modern times can be traced back to the early twentieth century. This first part focuses on the dynamics of these discussions and the transnational transfer of ideas that led to the emergence of Early Modern History.Secondly, the project reviews the institutionalisation of the field at German universities. Using a sociology of science approach, this development is surveyed as an example of the emergence of a sub-discipline. This in turn will be compared to similar developments in other scientific fields.Finally, the results of the oral history research cast light on the repercussions of the periodical reorganization of history. They will be integrated into a book on the discipline as seen by its main actors.