Institute of History and Archaeology |
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Chairs: Art History; Archaeology; Archival Studies; Contemporary History; Estonian History; Ethnology; General History
Head: Aadu Must, Professor
Address: Lossi 3, Room 416, Tartu 50090, ESTONIA
Phone: (372 7) 375 651
E-mail: aadu.must@ut.ee
The mission of the Department of History is to guarantee the posterity in offering and advancing university courses in history, archaeology, archival studies, ethnology and art history as well as promoting respective research. The disciplines indicated belong to the so called national sciences taught and studied as such only here and nowhere else in the world. At the same time the objective of the department is to teach and research the subjects on a high international level and in international partnership. Along with it, the functions of the Department of History are more extensive and contain extra-university areas, such as, for instance, monitoring the teaching of history in our general educational schools (numerous history textbooks for secondary schools have been written by the staff of the department) or introducing the achievements of the historical science to the public at large (popular-scientific papers, films, taking part in research societies and hobby groups etc.)
The Department of History publishes its own research journal - "Ajalooline Ajakiri Historical Journal (4 numbers annually), cited and indexed in Historical Abstracts. A few of the Chairs issue their own peer-reviewed publications, the Chair of Ethnology publishes "Studia Ethnologica Tartuensia", the Archaeology Centre has its "Tartu Ülikooli Arheoloogia kabineti Toimetised" Proceedings of the Archaeology Centre of the University of Tartu - both of them appear irregularly in line with papers submitted and financial resources. Beginning with the year 2001 a joint edition "Eesti Arheoloogia Ajakiri" Journal of Estonian Archaeology of the Chair of Archaeology, the department of archaeology of the History Institute and the Estonian Academy of Sciences will continue appearing. The Department of History has its homepage on the Internet and separate lists of lecturers, PhD candidates, MA students and undergraduates.
The Department of History offers modern electronic data bases of Soviet mass repressions (Estonians in GULAG 1941-1953; mass deportation in 1949), Estonian surnames in the 19th century.
Our curriculum proceeds from the society's realistic needs for a highly qualified academic staff. The need for more specialists in history, archaeology, archival studies, ethnology or art history in Estonia is higher than the Department of History can meet. Our curriculum is coordinated with prospective employees of our would-be graduates (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, State Chancellery).
Centre for Oriental Studies
Address: Jakobi 1;
Phone: (372 7) 375 589;
Head: Dr Linnart Mäll
E-mail: linnart.mall@ut.ee
The Centre for Oriental Studies is an inter-departmental unit, headed by the Department of History.
The Centre for Oriental Studies was established in 1994. It has two main tasks: first to serve as the basis for the research work in the field of oriental studies; second, to develop the facilities for teaching of the eastern languages and related subjects at the University of Tartu.
The current research project Humanistic Base Texts in the History of Mankind concentrates on the study and translation of the Indian, Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist texts and Confucian texts supervised by Dr Linnart Mäll, Head of the Centre.
In 1997 classes for teaching Japanese and Turkish languages were opened at the University of Tartu as a joint projects of the Centre for Oriental Studies and the Languages Centre with initial contribution of the Embassies and related foundations of Japan and Turkey respectively.
Members of the research staff of the Centre teach on a regular basis lecture courses on the history and culture of the Eastern countries, mainly those of the Buddhist cultural area.