Institute for Mediterranean Studies

Department of History of Cities, Diaspora and Immigration in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

The research teams of the Department of history of cities, diasporas and immigration in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea have so far focused on the modern and contemporary history, but our aim is to expand into Ancient, Byzantine and Venetian history. The research teams that study pre-modern civilizations will investigate topics related to the modern period as well, such as population movements, institutions, political regimes etc.

So far, research has moved on three axes. Firstly, research is being made on the urban development and the residential complex of the islands, the coastal areas and the relationship between city and country. Second, population development, social division of labor, social stratification and social relations in cities have been studied. Third, it has dealt with the issue of diaspora in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea and migratory and refugee movements across and beyond the space of the Mediterranean. Systematic research is being conducted into the archives of the cities and islands of the Aegean, the Ionian and Black Sea as well as the Greek diasporas around the world.

The research teams have processed a large volume of archival material and created databases (accessible from the Institute for Mediterranean Studies website and the Web History and Culture Archive) regarding municipal registries, censuses, tax and electoral lists of cities, as well as migrations, of a total volume of more than 150,000 entries. It is also envisaged, in collaboration with University Departments, to develop and conduct Postgraduate and PhD Programs.

People

Leda Papastefanaki

Leda Papastefanaki

Professor of Greek Economic and Social History
Department of History and Archaeology, University of Ioannina
Maria Damilakou

Maria Damilakou

Assistant Professor
Ionian University
Andreas Lyberatos

Andreas Lyberatos

Assistant Professor of Social and Economic History of the Modern Balkans
Department of Political Science and History, Panteion University (Athens)
Curriculum vitae
Konstantina Kalfa

Konstantina Kalfa

Postdoctoral researcher
Curriculum vitae
Antonis Masonidis

Antonis Masonidis

Postdoctoral researcher
Yannis Papadopoulos

Yannis Papadopoulos

Postdoctoral researcher
Curriculum vitae
Christos Hadziiossif

Christos Hadziiossif

FORTH Distinguished member, Professor Emeritus of Modern and Contemporary History
Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete
Christos Loukos

Christos Loukos

IMS Honorary Fellow, Professor Emeritus
Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete
Curriculum vitae

Research Projects

BLACK SEA

History of the Black Sea, 18th-20th centuries

The aim of the project was the identification, analysis and synthesis of the economic and social develοpment of 20 port-cities of the Black Sea that formed an integrated market that became the larger grain-exporting area in the world in the second half of the nineteenth century until the beginning of the twentieth century.

The city in modern times

The city in modern times

Scientific responsible: Christos Loukos

MCH-EsMed

How the middle class housed itself in the Eastern Mediterranean

ERC

Principal Investigator: Konstantina Kalfa
Funded by: European Research Council - Starting Grant 2024 (Grant Agreement 101164009)
Start date: 1 December 2024,   End date: 30 November 2029
Overall budget: € 1,499,913
Hosted by: Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Greece

MisDep

Migration and strategies of development in the periphery of the “Western World” during the early Post-World War II period (Greece, Portugal / Brazil, Argentina)


 

METOPO (WP8)

Soundscapes of the Balkan and Mediterranean city (18th- beginnings of the 20th c.)

Scientific responsible: Andreas Lyberatos

Black Sea (2015-Today)

History of the Black Sea, 18th-20th centuries