Institute of History
Topic
Patterns of Brigade Movement in the Slovak Economy in the years 1945–1958
PhD. program
Slovak History
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
PhDr. Jaroslava Roguľová, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Arts, Comenius University Bratislava
Annotation
The aim of the doctoral thesis will be to research the impact of socialist competition on the efficiency of voluntary labour brigades within the Slovak economy. Following the end of the war, the most significant role in the brigade movement were played by enthusiasm, peace-time fervour, and the desire to rebuild the destroyed economy. After the onset of socialism, this form of labour became an integral part of the state-building program, and the ideological education of the citizenry. The declining interest in brigade activities led to the introduction of a new level of socialist competition in the late 1950s: The Brigades of Socialist Labour. Following the first semester, the thesis topic will be further narrowed down, for instance, to a specific region, economic sector, or a target group of brigade workers.
The doctoral candidate is expected to demonstrate a profound interest in examining the influence of economic and ideological issues on public behaviour. The development of the topic requires archival research, the study of specialized historical literature, and the analysis of contemporary periodicals. Requirements include proficiency in English (min. B2), Slovak/Czech, alongside a passive knowledge of another European language.
The doctoral candidate is expected to demonstrate a profound interest in examining the influence of economic and ideological issues on public behaviour. The development of the topic requires archival research, the study of specialized historical literature, and the analysis of contemporary periodicals. Requirements include proficiency in English (min. B2), Slovak/Czech, alongside a passive knowledge of another European language.