PRR Project

Summary

Rationale NOVA FCSH seeks to expand its academic staff by appointing an Assistant Researcher in Social Movements, State and Capitalism in Contemporary History. In this IHC Chair position, the researcher is expected to develop groundbreaking research in several areas that have defined, for a long time, the scientific profile of the IHC: the making of modern State power in nineteenth and twentieth century Portugal; the economic history of contemporary Portugal, defined by a critical approach to concepts such as backwardness, dependency and semi-periphery; the emergence of social movements, including the Portuguese workers’ movement from the late nineteenth century onwards. In particular, the Institute´s “Economy and Society” research group has developed projects with a strong impact in the study of key contemporary phenomena: the formation of the modern state and its institutions, in their relationship with the economy, territorial transformation and social movements; the history of social classes, as well as social networks and forms of sociability (including work and leisure, culture and everyday life); the history of economic sectors such as banking, industry and commerce, within the framework of the emergence and development of capitalism in its various scales; and the historical significance of economic policies, thought and knowledge throughout the contemporary period. Beyond the IHC’s “Economy and Society” research group, the successful candidate should also contribute to the research environment of NOVA FCSH, namely through its research axis “Society and Policies”. Scientific Profile The selected researcher should develop research focusing on the interactions of three key contemporary historical movements: the making of modern states as a referential and hegemonic unit of power; the social and territorial expansion of capitalist markets and the economy; the birth and development of social movements. The researcher should thus be able to articulate political-institutional, social and economic history. In this sense, she/he will contribute to the renewal of the several areas in the field of contemporary history. More specifically, this research profile aims to overcome the reification of disciplinary subdivisions in the social sciences, promoting a stronger dialogue both between different historiographic fields and between historiography and other social sciences. In these circumstances, the researcher will have to explore interdisciplinary relations with neighbouring disciplines, including the historical sociology of the state, the anthropology of social movements, and political economy. She/he should thus engage in comparative frames of analysis, as well as considering several dynamics of transnational circulation: of labour and consumer practices; of economic ideas and management techniques; of public policies and political ideologies; of models of representation and repertoires of protest and struggle within the history of social movements and citizenship. Key responsibilities In short, the researcher is expected to conduct several of the following research tasks: •    To develop several research traditions at the IHC: the history of modern State power; the economic history of contemporary Portugal; the history of social movements, including the Portuguese workers’ movement; •    To engage in a critical approach to concepts such as backwardness, dependency and semi-periphery, especially in the context of Portuguese history; •    To contribute to the research life of the IHC and of NOVA FCSH; •    To consider key contemporary phenomena such as the formation of the modern state and its institutions; the history of social classes, including social networks and forms of sociability; the history of the different economic sectors within the development of capitalism; the historical impact of economic policies and thought; •    To actively seek and apply for opportunities of national and international funding, and to guide research towards forms of dissemination in line with public policies of inclusive citizenship; •    To teach a range of discipline in modern and contemporary history, including political economy, economic and social history; •    To question disciplinary divisions and promote scientific debate with neighbouring fields of study, and to engage in interdisciplinary research with the historical sociology of the state, the anthropology of social movements, and political economy; •    To explore comparative frames of analysis, considering several dynamics of transnational circulation, including that of labour and consumer practices, economic ideas, public policies and political ideologies, models of representation and repertoires of protest.