Leibniz Institute of European History

A member of the Leibniz Association, the Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG) in Mainz, Germany, is an independent, public research institute that carries out and promotes historical research on the foundations of Europe in Early Modern and Modern times. Though autonomous in nature, the IEG has close connections to the University of Mainz.

History of the Institute

Institute of European History

The Institute of European History was founded in 1950 by initiative of the French military government in Germany, so as to overcome historically grown prejudices and obstacles to a peaceful coexistence of European ethnic and religious communities by a more accurate knowledge of such historical developments. Therefore, the IEG consists of a section on the history of occidental religion (Abteilung fuer Abendlaendische Religionsgeschichte) and a section on political and social history (Abteilung fuer Universalgeschichte). In 2012, it joined the Leibniz Association.

Current Research Programme

The IEG's research on the historical foundations of Europe considers both integrating and antagonistic movements and forces shaping the geographic continent as well as the cultural context of Europe over centuries and setting up its distinct characteristics in contrast to the other continents. Research at the IEG thus targets pan-European and partly European communicative connections originating in bilateral and multilateral transfer processes. Their protagonists did not necessarily have to be aware of their taking part in "Europe-wide" interrelations. The religious and confessional developments of these transfer processes are one important focus of research at the IEG.

Also, research on the foundations of Europe maps the history of conscious reflections on Europe and Europeans, and analyses attempts at political unification, existing political plans for Europe, ideal conceptions and utopian visions of Europe – always including anti-European ideas in the picture. An integral element of this approach is the history of historiography on Europe.

This conceptual formulation includes a reflexion of theory and methods of historical research on Europe. The Leibniz Institute of European History questions the focus of interest of 'European' approaches and reflects the underlying ideological propositions in historical research on the history of Europe.

Research Areas

For the years of 2007 to 2011, four areas of programme-bound research have been established that work inter-departmentally and include fellows into their programme. They are connected by an area of cross-departmental research European History Online / EGO and complemented by an area of non-programme-bound research ( graphic presentation). The four programme-bound research areas are set up for five years. They publish their research results in the publication series of the IEG and in other media, win the support of third-party funds, and analyse basic research results, also contributing to basic research with new data and source material:

Europa als Herausforderung für Politik, Gesellschaft und Kirche Kommunikation und Transformation in Religion und Gesellschaft Raumbezogene Forschungen zur Geschichte Europas seit 1500 Wertewandel und Geschichtsbewusstsein

Research Fellowships

Since 1950, the IEG has awarded doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships for research stays in Mainz. It also welcomes international researchers as fellows in residence with external funding. The IEG states that its research fellowship programme combines research, training and international networking. Fellows can pursue their individual research projects. They discuss problems and methods of European historical research in an interdisciplinary and international surrounding. According to their special fields and interests, they are invited to participate in the academic activities of the Institute. In cooperation with its international partners, the Institute supports the exchange of fellows to embed them in a network of European historical research.

Publications The IEG edits a monograph serial and a serial for conference reports, the latter being published online or in print. It runs a server for historical digital maps (IEG-MAPS) and publishes European peace treaties of the early modern period.

External links

• Official website
• Webpage at the Leibniz Association
• Webpage at the Mainz Research Alliance
• Leibniz Association
• University of Mainz