History & Area Studies / Thematic History / Social & Cultural History

Enlightenment, Habsburg State-Building & the Politics of History: A Hidden Legacy in Central Europe

Peter Faulstich

This video explores a fascinating and often overlooked chapter of the Enlightenment: its unique trajectory within the Habsburg monarchy. We delve into how the pursuit of rational knowledge, state-building, and the politics of historical memory intertwined in Central Europe. Drawing from Peter Faulstich's work on the complex relationship between Enlightenment, science, and education, we examine how the Habsburgs used knowledge culture (Wissenskultur) to consolidate power, while also fostering a distinct intellectual tradition. Discover how this legacy challenges the standard Western narrative of the Enlightenment and continues to shape the region's identity and historical consciousness today. Expect a deep dive into the tension between emancipatory ideas and state control, revealing the 'dialectic of Enlightenment' in a specific, high-stakes political context.