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II – ‘Historical Thinking’ in intercultural perspective

‘Historical Thinking’ might be regarded as the operational term for describing intentions, mental processes and/or competences of those who work on and with historical knowledge in both, historical research and historical education. 

However, when asking for the epistemological ground of a concept of ‘Historical Thinking’, various disciplinary traditions could be discerned. As already mentioned in the general description, regional perspectives on the understanding of this concept differ quite significantly. Clarification and comparison in the intercultural approach is therefore expected to bring the discussion forward.

Questions of interest:

  • Who are the ‘social subjects’/producer(s)/ creators of ‘historical thinking’? 
  • Is there a systematic/epistemological distinction between ‘historical consciousness’ and ‘historical thinking’?
  • Which concepts/aspects of ‘historical thinking’ have been elaborated in the various regional discourses? What are the convergences a/o differences when exploring them in an intercultural, transnational perspective?
  • If there is a specific ‘Western’ form of 'historical thinking', what are the challenges for an intercultural and/or a global approach to the concept?
  • What specific aspects/dimensions of ‘historical thinking’ emerge in the debates of postcolonial histories?
  • What concepts of ‘historical thinking’ can be discerned in the various discourses of aborigines and/or the respective indigenous narratives?
  • What are the challenges for historical thinking in the digital age? 
  • How to conceptualize ‘historical evidence’ after the postmodern discourse (e.g. the simultaneous existence of various interpretations of the past)?

Conference Office

Univ.-Prof.i.R. Mag. Dr.phil.

Alois Ecker

Institute of History
Heinrichstraße 26/II
8010 Graz


Institute of History
Heinrichstraße 26/II
8010 Graz

Benjamin Ecker

Institute of History
Heinrichstraße 26/II
8010 Graz


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