Research group of Minorities‘ History and Culture studies

Research group of Minorities‘ History and Culture studies

Sukurta: 19 December 2018
Keywords: Jewish culture, heritage and history; ethnic minorities; Lithuania in East and Central Europe; co-existence, Muslims, Tatars, Karaites, Old Believers, Poles, audio-visual representation; worldwide connections; cultural routes; tolerance education, anti -Semitism, stereotypes

Socio-cultural research of ethnic, national and religious minority groups in the region (East and Central Europe, also including Russia).

Research group activities

  • Research of history of non-Christi an minorities in the Grand Duchy of Lithuanian in comparative European perspective in Early Modern period;
  • Research of process of identity formation of ethnic and religious minorities, identity preservation and representation forms and strategies, communiti es’ identity policy and state minority policy, community and state interaction.
  • Intercommunal relations and communication; formation, adaptation and dissemination of stereotypes in different groups of the society;
  • Development of new empirical research and theoretical, interdisciplinary approaches in minority studies;
  • Analyses of different type of prayer houses, e.g. synagogues (incl. the phenomena of wooden synagogues);
  • Jewish cemetery research activities;
  • Research and publication of unique and academically important unknown for wider audience archival sources, making them available for world-wide academic audience;
  • Development of necessary educational material (books, series and others) concerning national, ethnic and religious minorities;
  • Audiovisual representati on of heritage: development of applications, documentaries, internet websites, other material. Including usage of novelty technologies such augmented, virtual reality, etc.;
  • Ethnic minorities during the Second World War (the Holocaust, the persecution and destruction of ethnic minorities, destruction and plunder of their cultural heritage during the WWII;
  • Holocaust memorialization and actualization initiatives;
  • Organization of academic and cultural events such as conferences, seminars, workshops, summer schools, European Jewish Cultural Days, etc.;
  • Expertise and consultations on minority politics, heritage preservation and representation (including museums, exhibitions, memorials, tourism), education (formal and informal).

 

Proposal

  • Looking for partners for the international research projects, including, but not limited to:
  • Reconstruction and socio-economic impact of state infrastructure in the Early Modern period; Jewish socio-economic activity in this context;
  • Various forms of mobility of the minority groups in the region (including Litvak emigration phenomena); cultural, economic and social networks as a result of mobility;
  • (Trans)formation of ethnic and national identity; various forms of identi ty expression;
  • Everyday history;
  • Any other research project in the frames of above mentioned research themes.
  • Development and exchange of experience in preparation of different educational material including mobile applications, books, movies, etc.
  • Application of IT technologies in Humanities (research, teaching, heritage preservation);
  • Co-organizati on of international conferences, seminars, focus groups, workshops.
  • Field research, expeditions and heritage research (including but not limited to prayer houses, cemeteries, dwelling areas etc.).

 

Meet our team

Lead researcher

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurgita Verbickienė

Principle researchers

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Grigorijus Potašenko,

Assist. Prof. Dr. Dovilė Troskovaitė,

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ryšard Gaidis,

Research group

PhD student Stanislovas Stasiulis,

PhD student Akvilė Naudžiunienė,

PhD student Monika Ramonaitė,

PhD student Rūta Anulytė,

PhD student Darius Sakalauskas,

PhD student Aivaras Poška

Research outcomes

  • „Jews in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. History of one of the largest Jewish communities in Eastern Europe“ (2016-2018, Lithuanian Research council);
  • Historical demographic studies and their application to the Jewish censuses of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, VP1-3.1- ŠMM-07-K „Support to Research Activiti es of Scientist and Other Researcher (Global Grant)“. Priority3„Strengthening Capacities of Researchers“. Operational Programme for Human Resources Development for 2001-2013, (2013-2015);
  • Development of the app www.discoverjewishlithuania.com (2014-2016, EEA Grants);
  • Developing Jewish Studies in Lithuania: Establishing the Research and Teaching Field in Vilnius University (2014-2018);
  • Cohesion building of multi ethnic societies 14-20th centuries (2014-2018, Polish Research council);
  • „Lithuanian Jews. Historical study“ (2008-2010, Lithuanian Research council);
  • „Synagogues in Lithuania. Catalogue“ (2006-2010, Lithuanian Research council);

 

Contacts

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurgita Verbickiene

Faculty of History

E-mail: ,

Phone: +370 672 12902

More about the Faculty of History: http://www.if.vu.lt/en

 

Department for Research

and Innovation

Phone: +370 5 268 7006

E-mail:

More information: https://www.vu.lt/en/business/

 

Flyer for printing: Research_group_of_Minorities_History_and_Culture_studies.pdf