Department of Contemporary History
O. Mertelsmann E. Medijainen P. Heikkilä
Contemporary history signifies these events, processes, ideas and changes in the history of society whose consequences or developments influence us to date. In study and research work our focus is placed on the question how political, economic, social or ideological (mental) power was exercised throughout history and disclose the roots of the ideas which humankind has relied on thereby. Thus neither political history nor statehood history, in particular, can overlook the concepts of sovereignty and non-interference. We address more general theoretical problems of war and peace as well as their concrete manifestations in history. As far as social and economic histories of society are concerned, contemporary history emphasizes changes that took place in the population, economy, international relationships, ideology and several other spheres of life, which began centuries ago already and have still not come to an end, or have an impact on us in a more indirect way.