Historical Studies
The objective of the historical programmes of the Institute of Mediterranean
Studies is to research major aspects of Greek society in modern and contemporary
times. Until the second half of the 20th century, the greater part of the Greek
population was engaged in agriculture, which represented the bulk of the national
product, as happened in most societies passing through the pre-industrial era.
There were, however, two characteristics which set Greek society apart from
its neighbours in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean: the greater degree
of urbanization, and the fact that after the creation of the Greek state, the
Greek social transformation spread further than its state boundaries.
Compact populations which were ideologically oriented to the Greek state continued to remain in their historical birthplaces which were located in other countries, whether these were the Ottoman Empire or more recent Balkan states. Apart from those populations, at the beginning of modern times and in the context of the mercantile expansion of the Greek economy, a galaxy of smaller urban communities modelled on the Greek way of life appeared in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. From the end of the 19th century Greece contributed with its hundreds of thousands of emigrants to the expansion of emigration from Europe to America and other overseas destinations. All these foreign centres maintained communication and interaction with the Greek state.
The historical research conducted by the IMS aims at researching the three characteristic features of Greek society in modern times, and focus on:
a) agricultural society and economy
b) the growth of towns and the urban phenomenon in general
c) the Greek populations beyond the borders of the Greek state, whether compact agricultural and semi-urban populations or urban communities, and
d) the flow of emigrants which created and maintained these centres
The historical research at the IMS is registered by international historiography in wider approaches of analogous subjects. There is also co-operation with foreign researchers, and its findings are presented to the international academic community in publications and at conferences.
Compact populations which were ideologically oriented to the Greek state continued to remain in their historical birthplaces which were located in other countries, whether these were the Ottoman Empire or more recent Balkan states. Apart from those populations, at the beginning of modern times and in the context of the mercantile expansion of the Greek economy, a galaxy of smaller urban communities modelled on the Greek way of life appeared in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. From the end of the 19th century Greece contributed with its hundreds of thousands of emigrants to the expansion of emigration from Europe to America and other overseas destinations. All these foreign centres maintained communication and interaction with the Greek state.
The historical research conducted by the IMS aims at researching the three characteristic features of Greek society in modern times, and focus on:
a) agricultural society and economy
b) the growth of towns and the urban phenomenon in general
c) the Greek populations beyond the borders of the Greek state, whether compact agricultural and semi-urban populations or urban communities, and
d) the flow of emigrants which created and maintained these centres
The historical research at the IMS is registered by international historiography in wider approaches of analogous subjects. There is also co-operation with foreign researchers, and its findings are presented to the international academic community in publications and at conferences.
