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

《早期近代史的制度化》项目(德国、欧洲、美国)考察了一个新的跨国历史分支学科的出现和建立。早期近代史的出现改变了历史悠久的秩序。经典的古代中世纪现代三部曲已被分为四部分的历史所取代，这一划分越来越多地被相关学科采用。这对我们对历史的理解产生了影响，因为1500年之后的时间不再被理解为我们时代的开始。同时，这段介于中世纪和近代之间的历史时期的地位一直是激烈争论的主题，直到现在，史学史都没有涉及到这一转变。本课题试图从多个角度把握这一新的历史时期的现象。目标不是对建造时期进行规范性的证明，而是确定和解释历史专业内部的实际变化。在第一个项目阶段，研究从三个层面进行。运用概念史的方法，系统地分析了德语中单词Früh(E)Neuzeit和英语中早期现代单词Früh(E)Neuzeit的用法。在两种语言中，这一概念的使用自1900年以来一直在不断增加。早在两次世界大战之间，就可以确定一种独特的定义历史时期的模式。在第二步中，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，在早期近代史中设立教席的做法被追溯。第三，一大批德国和外国历史学家作为历史见证者接受讯问。这一多层次研究的发现为该领域的形成和历史的重组产生了许多新的见解。目前的项目建立在这些结果的基础上，并继续在三个新的研究领域开展工作。在概念发现的基础上，紧跟着建构新时期的认识过程。在中世纪和现代之间引入一个新时期的呼声可以追溯到二十世纪初。第一部分集中于这些讨论的动态和导致早期现代史出现的跨国思想转移。第二部分，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，将这一发展作为一个子学科出现的例子进行调查。这将与其他科学领域的类似发展进行比较。最后，口述历史研究的结果揭示了历史定期重组的影响。它们将被整合到一本关于该学科的书中，正如其主要参与者所看到的那样。

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 The classic trilogy of AncientMedievalModern has been replaced by a division of history into four parts, a division increasingly adopted by related disciplines.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.