The department’s particular strengths include:
Social history of Belarus in XIX – early XX century;
The making of the Belarusian statehood;
History of political parties and social movements;
History of religion in Belarus in XIX – XX centuries;
History of warfare and history of the Great Patriotic War.
The department takes part in two research projects of the research cluster ‘History and Culture’ of the National Research Program ‘History, Culture, Society, and State’:
- ‘Transition to the Industrial Society and Societal Dynamics in Belarus in the second half of the XIX –early XX centuries’ (Project Director – Associate Professor A.G. Kokhanovsky)
- ‘Transformations of the Economy, Society, Politics, and Culture in Belarus in XIX-XX centuries: Historiography and Sources’ (Project Director – Professor P.I. Zelinsky)
Professor P.I. Brigadin (Chair), Professor V.K. Korshuk (Vice-Chair) and Professor V.F. Ladysev are frequent members of the dissertation committee of the Belarus State University.
In 2005-2010 the staff of the department had published over 10 monographs, 8 textbooks recommended for use by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, and 52 other textbooks. They include:
A.I. Kotov. ‘The Belarus State University during the Great Patriotic War. A Book of Memory’.
P.I. Zelinsky. ‘The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet People in the Context of the Second World War’.
V.K. Korshuk, A.G. Kokhanovsky, I.F. Romanovsky. ‘Political Parties of the Republic of Belarus’
A.L. Dashkevich. ‘The Legal Foundations of the Union of Belarus and Russia: History and Present Days’
A.I. Kotov ‘History of Belarus and the World Civilization’
V.K. Korshuk. Political Parties: History and Present Situation’
A.G. Kokhanovsky, A.M. Lukashevich. ‘History of Belarus (1800-1917)’.
A.M Lukashevich., P.I. Brigadin. ‘The Rebellious Corps: the History of the Brest Cadet Corps’.
Adamushkin, V.I., ed. ‘On the Brink. The Special Western Military District (1939-1941)’ [Collection of documents]; ‘After the Turnabout. Ideological and Political Struggle in Belarus in 1932-1936’ [Collection of documents].
V.K. Korshuk, I.F. Romanovsky. ‘History of Political Parties and Social Movements: Questions and Answers’
‘The History of Belarus: a Comprehensive Course”
A.M. Lukashevich. ‘Belarusian Lands as a Possible Seat of War: Study, Engineering and Topographical Preparations, (1770-1812)’
The staff of the department consulted the production of a number of documental films, including ‘The Little Fortress’ (Malen’kaia Krepost’), Azarichi, and many others. They are also regularly consulted about various issues of Belarussian history by media.
The staff of the department regularly takes part in international and national conferences. The department has strong scientific contacts with other academic institutions of the Republic of Belarus, as well as with the University of Jena, the Warsaw University, the University of Bialystok, the Kiev University, the Moscow State University, the Vilnius University, the University of Wroclaw, and many other universities.
The department has a proactive approach towards the involvement of undergraduate students into research through a Student Research Laboratory.
