The Graduate Studies in History at the University of Brasília is structured by the area of concentration “Society, Culture, and Politics”, which involves four lines of research. The area favors methodological pluralism, as well as diversification of subjects, spatial and chronological approaches. Because the lines of research are plural, they keep their own theoretical identities, relying on specific concepts and procedures, derived from diverse dialogues kept with other disciplines in Humanities.

Among the researches aligned with the Social History field, theoretical and methodological loans from Sociology are relevant. Social actors’ agency, their choices and strategies consist on the primary analytical objects of the social historians. Life in society is explored in a way to examine quite often political and economical levels.

Cultural dimensions of social life, on the other hand, are emphasized by researchers aligned with Cultural History, where the most frequent dialogue is maintained with Cultural Anthropology as well as Literary Studies. The primary objects of analysis within the members of the Culture History line are the symbolic and immaterial dimensions of social life, together with sensibilities and identities.

The concept of Culture is understood in an enlarged way. We consider Culture as a dimension of human experience that is marked by the collective effort to institute, transmit and appropriate concepts and meanings. These meanings guide the agency and the sentiments in each historical moment. The concept of Culture works then as an interpretive tool allowing historians to explain different forms of existence and different representation of life in society.

The History of Ideas area of research can be considered as a specialty among the most enlarged field of Cultural History. Within History of Ideas, more attention is given to cultural forms – with special regard to intellectual life –  whose relevance relies on large domains of political and social life, but also on the very activity of the historian´s self-reflection, and self-conscience.

The political dimension of social life is emphasized by researchers sheltered in Political History, which stablishes a theoretical dialogue with Political Science, Political Philosophy and Political Anthropology. The Political History research line remains in an interdisciplinary frontier but keeps its epistemological specificity because it stresses reconstructing while detailing the circumstances surrounding decision-making of political actors. This is visible in institutional interactions, circulation and appropriation of political ideas by political agents.

The idea of Politics that underlies the works of Political History researchers is thus understood in an enlarged way, to encompass the relations of power that manifest themselves in the State and institutions, together with different interpersonal logics.

These large designs of theoretical and methodological possibilities are turned concrete in the research proposals and initiatives of the members of the four research areas listed below.

 

Research Areas:

Cultural History, Memories and Identities

Social History and its Multiple Forms

Ideas, Historiography and Theory

Politics, Institutions and Power Relations

 

Nowadays, the Brazilian agency for graduate studies, Capes, evaluates the PPGHIS with note 4 among 7. To know more about the accredited professors that can supervise both Masters and Doctoral theses in the PPGHIS, please go to: Faculty.