Dr. Johannes Neurath public lecture „Wixárika Walking in the Footsteps of the Ancestors as Ecology“ – 2025-06-11
PAScapes invites to a public lecture by Johannes Neurath (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Museo Nacional de Antropología) titled "Wixárika Walking in the Footsteps of the Ancestors as Ecology“.
On 11 June, at 17:00, we invite you to a lecture by dr. Johannes Neurath (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Museo Nacional de Antropología), organised by PAScapes, on the topic "Wixárika Walking in the Footsteps of the Ancestors as Ecology“. The lecture will take place at the Faculty of Philosophy, Vilnius University, Room 209 (Universiteto str. 9, Vilnius).
Abstract:
Over the past few decades, the Wixaritari or Huichol people of western Mexico have been protagonists of important ecological conflicts, some of which have received extensive media coverage. Even though the semi-authoritarian neoliberal political system that domineted Mexico during most of that time has not been favourable of Indigenous rights, the Wixárika have usually achieved their objectives, like stopping the construction of highways, hydroelectric dams, and hotels. In 2012 they even prevented the opening of silver mines run by transnational companies.
Date: September 25–26, 2025 
In spring 1925 the Yidisher visnshaftlekher institut (Yiddish Scientific Institute), known as YIVO, was established in Vilnius. At this time Yiddish was the native language of approximately 11 million people, and Jewish Vilna was world renowned as a center of Yiddish culture. In Eastern Europe, secular Jewish Diaspora Nationalists promoted their own national life in the countries of their residence, creating a new movement that gave rise to a network of innovative cultural institutions. These culminated in the creation of YIVO, which became the center of a global network of scholars and support groups. The efforts to rescue a portion of the institute’s collections during the Holocaust and transfer them to New York was no less of a monumental achievement. While YIVO continues its work today in New York, it remains a symbol of the rich heritage of the Vilna Jewish community.
The Centre for the Study of East European Jewish History at the Vilnius University Department of History, together with The Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies at Yeshiva University, Department of Jewish Studies at Wroclaw University, Department of Russian and Slavic Studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Lviv Catholic University invites to the series of Graduate and PhD students’ online Seminars dedicated to Jewish history, culture, heritage and memory in Eastern Europe.
The development of Digital Humanities (DH) is a key trend in modern research. Recognizing its importance, the Faculties of Philology and History at Vilnius University (VU) have submitted a joint project to the LMT competition to upgrade research infrastructure in near future establish a DH laboratory for the two faculties. As a result, new DH tools have been introduced at VU, allowing scholars to analyze historical sources and other materials using modern methods.
A recent study published in Nature: Scientific Reports delves into the adaptive agricultural practices of pre-industrial communities in north-eastern Europe over the past two millennia. The research highlights how significant climatic shifts, coupled with socioeconomic factors, influenced the selection and cultivation of buffer crops to mitigate the risks associated with primary staple crop failures.
Date: 31 January 2025, 3 pm.
The Centre for the Study of East European Jewish History at the Vilnius University Department of History, together with The Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies at Yeshiva University, Department of Jewish Studies at Wroclaw University, Department of Russian and Slavic Studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Lviv Catholic University invites MA students currently working on their theses and PhD students to apply and participate in an international online seminar in the field of East European Jewish history and culture. The seminar is open to papers on various topics, chronology, methodology, and approaches in humanities, arts, and social sciences.
On 5 November, 5 pm, the Faculty of History will host a discussion with Dr. Epp Annus (Tallinn University, Ohio State University). The event invites to discuss the arrival of new Anthropocene and eco-social ideas in the field of history and other humanities and social sciences.
The Centre for the Study of East European Jewish History at the Vilnius University Department of History together with The Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies at Yeshiva University, Department of Jewish Studies at Wroclaw University, Department of Russian and Slavic Studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Lviv Catholic University invites to the series of Graduate and PhD students’ online Seminars dedicated to Jewish history, culture, heritage and memory in Eastern Europe.
On 23-27 September, (Post)Authoritarian Landscapes Research Centre (PAScapes) organised an international summer school "Cultural landscapes: Concrete heritage" for PhD students interested in concrete heritage.
The Faculty of History at Vilnius University introduces ‘Heritage Mondays’ public lecture series initiative and is pleased to invite you to a public lecture by Prof. Dr. Yonca Erkan from the University of Antwerp on September 9th at 17:00. The lecture is titled “The Role of Management Plans: Practices and Lessons in Cultural Heritage Conservation”.
The recent release of Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” has brought us back to the medieval fantasy realm of George Martin’s “Game of Thrones”. Although the series is based on fictional books, the author drew extensively from real medieval history, including the Hundred Years’ War, the Wars of the Roses, and the Crusades. Medieval Lithuania was also not without its share of intriguing moments, one of which was the mysterious death of Karigaila, the brother of Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) and cousin to Vytautas: he was beheaded in 1390 while defending Vilnius Castle against the Crusaders. Dr Antanas Petrilionis, researcher at the Faculty of History of Vilnius University (VU), has tried to unravel the threads of this murderous story dating back over six centuries.
From 1–5 July, for the second time, Vilnius University (VU) will host the summer school on the “Competition Among Great Powers, and the National State of Lithuania in the First Half of the 20th Century” organised jointly by the VU Faculty of History, the Baltic Geopolitics Network of the Centre for Geopolitics of the University of Cambridge, and the Office of the Chief Archivist of Lithuania.
Are you already wondering what's next? Graduation can evoke many emotions, from relief and joy to confusion and anxiety.
The (Post)Authoritarian Landscapes Research Centre (PAScapes) at Vilnius University announces a competition for a long-term research fellowship to carry out the project ‘Cultural Landscapes of (Post)Authoritarian States in the 20th–21st Centuries: Transformations, Models, Environmental Response’.