The EUROPAEUM History Seminar
Convened by Anthony Teasdale (The Europaeum) and Miles Pattenden (The Europaeum/University of Oxford)
The study of European history stands at a critical juncture. Traditionally centred on national narratives and Eurocentric perspectives, historical scholarship in European universities now faces profound challenges both from within and without. The rise of global history has rightfully “provincialised” Europe in historical narratives, while the development of European institutions since 1945 has created new frameworks for understanding shared continental experiences that transcend national boundaries.
This Europaeum History Seminar invites critical reflection on how European history is researched, taught, and conceptualised in contemporary academia. It asks whether the post-1945 project of European integration has fostered a distinctly European “historical consciousness” that did not previously exist—and if so, how we might characterise, study, and critique it.
Key questions for discussion include (1) how national historical traditions continue to shape historical research within European universities; (2) how the emergence of transnational European institutions has influenced historical scholarship; (3) how far a pan-European historical consciousness has emerged; and (4) how does it interact with national and global perspectives? The seminar also invites participants to reflect on how European historians should respond to the relative decline of Europe’s global influence in the 21st century.
The concept of European “historical consciousness” itself requires interrogation. Is it merely an elite project tied to political integration, or does it represent deeper cultural and intellectual currents? How do marginalized histories—of minorities, migrants, colonised peoples, and others—fit within or challenge this consciousness? Does European historical consciousness reinforce or undermine Eurocentrism in global historical narratives?
Methodologically, this History Seminar will explore innovative approaches to researching European history and Europe-wide institutions, from traditional archival work to digital humanities, oral history, and interdisciplinary collaborations. It will examine how teaching practices, museum exhibitions, heritage policies, and public commemorations reflect and shape understandings of Europe’s past.
