Institute of History
Topic
Franco–Czechoslovak Cultural Interactions, 1948–1989
PhD. program
World History
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
Michal Kšiňan, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Arts, Comenius University Bratislava
Annotation
The aim of the doctoral dissertation is to analyse cultural interactions between France and Czechoslovakia, since France did not discontinue cultural cooperation with the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War period and is moreover often perceived as a major cultural and civilisational power. Cultural interaction will be understood in a broad sense as cultural encounters and mutual influences. Although the doctoral candidate will need to have a solid understanding of political developments and the changing objectives of cultural diplomacy, the core of the dissertation will focus on research into specific cultural interactions, such as study, academic, linguistic or creative stays, artistic inspirations, translations of fiction and scholarly literature, adaptations of theatrical plays, the reception of works in individual national contexts, and similar phenomena. On the basis of several case studies, the candidate will formulate their conclusions.
The applicant is expected to have a basic overview of European cultural development, with particular attention to France and Czechoslovakia, as well as to cultural diplomacy in the period under study; proficiency in Slovak/Czech and English is required; knowledge of French is necessary at least for working with primary sources.
The applicant is expected to have a basic overview of European cultural development, with particular attention to France and Czechoslovakia, as well as to cultural diplomacy in the period under study; proficiency in Slovak/Czech and English is required; knowledge of French is necessary at least for working with primary sources.