Public history helps to engage citizens in the co-production and communication of the past while maintaining ethical and methodological standards and strengthening social cohesion, resilience and democracy in the digital age.
The aim of EUROPAST is to enhance the academic excellence and research capacity of Vilnius University and strengthen the profile of its staff in the field of public history. To accomplish this aim, the project will establish structured collaboration between scholars from VU and leading public history researchers from the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History in Potsdam, Germany, the Centre for European Studies at Lund University in Sweden, and the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH).
The work plan will involve exploratory research on public history best practices and models for the future; a coordinated training programme delivered through a series of three summer schools; research colloquia with special attention paid to early career researchers; a series of research and institutional exchanges among project partners; outreach workshops with public history practitioners and decision makers; and the establishment of a network of research managers.
Through joint research, training and networking, supported by an integrated series of dissemination, transfer and communication activities, the project will establish a long-lasting, interdisciplinary research network.
The EUROPAST project consists of six work packages (WPs) dedicated to different project objectives.
WP1: Project coordination and management
The aim of this work package is to ensure the success of the EUROPAST project through appropriate coordination of organisational, technological, methodological and financial activities and obligations.
WP2: Exploratory research
WP2 involves research into the state of the art of public history. This WP is particularly focused on exploratory research, supported by the mid-term and final research workshops.
The WP is led by Prof. Violeta Davoliūtė (VU). It is based around an exploratory research project into the origins and evolution of public history in Europe since the end of WWII. The purpose of this research is to generate a critical and historicised perspective on the concepts, institutions and processes of public history.
WP3: Strengthening of administrative capacity
The main goal of WP3 is to strengthen the research management and administration skills at VU, with the support of the team from Lund University.
The activities of the WP will be implemented under the leadership of Prof. Barbara Törnquist-Plewa, Deputy Dean of the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology (LU).
WP4: Training
The objective of WP4 is to strengthen the capacity of VU researchers and to develop specialised skills in the field of public history. Training activities are based on knowledge transfer and exchange among the partners in the consortium.
The WP will be led by Assoc. Prof. Thomas Cauvin (C2DH). The training WP is organised around summer schools, which are supported by introductory training and a research colloquium.
WP5: Networking
The objectives of WP5 are to develop VU networking within the consortium and beyond and to build bridges between researchers and practitioners of public history.
This WP will be led by Dr Juliane Fürst (ZZF).
WP6: Dissemination, exploitation and communication
The goal of this work package is to engage practitioners, decision-makers and citizens in the co-production of public history by communicating, exploiting and disseminating the findings of the project in a gender-sensitive way.
This WP will be led by Dr Viktorija Rimaitė-Beržiūnienė (VU).
