HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY
Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague
General Information
STUDY OBLIGATIONS
Doctorate studies are carried out according to an individual study plan under the guidance of
a supervisor.
The obligations that the student must fulfil during doctorate studies are stated by the
individual study plan. The student produces this plan at the start of the studies together with
the supervisor. The individual plan is approved by the Council for doctoral studies.
INDIVIDUAL STUDY PLAN
The study plan states the topic of the PhD thesis which is in accordance with the scientificresearch orientation of the doctorate field Historical Sociology. The emphasis on
independence at the commencement of the studies relates to the request to increase the
responsibility of the student for his/her own education and studies.
The Student information system – SIS contains the form of the study plan. After it is
filled in, the plan is printed and signed by the student and the advisor and submitted to
the Institute of doctorate studies which submits it to the Council for doctoral studies for
approval. This plan is a compulsory document by which the study is governed.
The final version of the plan (with the signature of the supervisor) must be submitted at
the beginning of October (the actual date is always stated for the academic year in which
the studies start!).
1.) Compulsory parts of the study plan
a) The most important component of the study plan is the systematic creative work on the
topic of the PhD thesis. The topic of the PhD thesis is derived from the science-research
direction of the doctorate field historical sociology and is stated after agreement with the
student and the supervisor. The PhD thesis contains a critical analysis and an evaluation of the
current investigation in the field and the original results of the applicant’s PhD thesis. The
PhD student contributes by motivationally processing the topic to develop the field.
b) Passing obligatory and compulsory optional subjects.
The student must gain attestation of foreign language and of four compulsory and one
optional subject.
Compulsory subjects
 Theoretical Conceptions of Historical Sociology -two terms
 Methods and Techniques of Historical Sociology-two terms


Doctoral Seminar-4 terms
Foreign Language.
Compulsory optional subjects
 Culture and Commonness in the Perspective of History and Sociology-1 term.
 Politics, Power and International Relations in the Perspective of History and
Sociology-1 term.
 Modernisation and Modernisation Process-1 term.
2.) Recommended parts of the study programme
a) Students can pass subjects extending their knowledge of the topics to which his/her PhD
thesis are directed. They are selected after consultation with the supervisor from the range of
the Faculty of humanities or other UK faculties or possibly other universities.
b) Passing study or research educational stay at a foreign university or research institute
dealing with the topic of the student’s PhD thesis.
c) Participating in research projects of the FHS UK historical sociology workshop.
These recommended parts will be included in the individual study plan according to the needs
of the student’s education, his/her interests and after agreement between the student and the
supervisor.
Scientific-research of topical areas in which the topics of the PhD thesis can be selected
The PhD thesis of doctorate students of historical sociology should be focused mainly on one
of the following topical areas:
- Modernisation, the modernisation processes and their individual aspects
- Comparing civilisation analysis and religious plurality
- Forming states and nations
- Policy, power and international relations from the historical-sociological perspective
- Globalization, globalization tendencies, world system
- Culture and everyday life inform the historical-sociological perspective
- Collective memory and historical cognition
- Theoretical problems of existing historical sociology, theory of social change
Other obligations
Within his/her ISP the PhD student of historical sociology:
- presents and discusses the project of his/her PhD work in doctorate seminars I, II;
- produces and defends the PhD thesis before a commission consisting of members of the field
board, supervisor and teachers
- submits by the end of each year of study a written report about examinations passed and
other study obligations and the procedure of the PhD study.
STATE DOCTORATE EXAMINATION AND DEFENCE OF THE PhD THESIS
The study ends with the state doctorate examination and the defence of the PhD thesis by
which the ability and preparedness for independent scientific work is proved. The PhD thesis
must contain original and published results or results for publication. The doctorate
examination verifies the theoretical and methodological knowledge gathered during the study,
submission and defence of the PhD thesis documents and the ability of the student to carry out
scientific work.
Description of the state doctorate examination
The state doctorate examination consists of several types of issues. The first one verifies
theoretical knowledge, the second methodological knowledge, the third concerns the
specialist subject. The topics of issues correspond to the topical areas of the passed study
subjects.
Description of the defence of the PhD thesis
During the defence of the PhD thesis, the student proves the conclusiveness and binding
nature of his/her own findings in the PhD thesis. The student tells the commission about the
topic and the objective of the work, the problems resolved, the methods used, the achieved
results and recommendations. Verbally and by a visual presentation, the student proves
clearly and briefly the formulation of the content and results of his/her work, the ability to
conduct a critical analysis and evaluate and synthesise new and complex ideas. The student
defends the selected procedures, theoretical framework and conclusions of the PhD thesis in
the discussions with the members of the commission.
Proposal for PhD thesis topics
The proposed PhD thesis topics are stated generally. These topics will be specified and
converted into a concrete form in individual PhD thesis projects.
- Theory of social change, its existing forms and problems
- Development and changes in modernisation theory
- Comparative analysis of modernisation processes and their individual aspects
- Contemporary capitalism, variants of its development and functioning
- Comparative analysis of industrialism and post-industrialism
- Historical development, forms and reflections of rationality and rationalization
- Comparing civilization analysis from the perspective of cultural and religious plurality
- Historical – sociological analysis of the functioning of states and nations
- Genesis and the development of civil society
- Modern democracy and aspects of its development from the perspective of historical
sociology
- Totalitarianism, theory and concrete experiences
- Form and change of social conflicts
- Policy and power inform the historical – sociological perspective
- Historical – sociological analysis of international relations
- Globalisation and world system, development and prospects
- Historical comparable sociology of Europe
- Culture and everyday life from the historical-sociological perspective
- Socio-historical development in entertainment, sports and leisure
- About the issue between micro and macro history
- Issue of elites, leaders and great personalities from the perspective of sociology
- Collective memory and historical cognition
SUPERVISOR
The supervisor determines the theme of the PhD thesis and, along with the student, compiles a
proposal of the individual study plan for approval by the Council for doctoral studies. They
continuously check the meeting of study requirements by the student, and regularly consult
their study results with them. Supervisors write a short evaluation on the student’s progress
once a year, and in the event that the student does meet their study requirements, they have
the right to recommend the termination of study or other steps to the Council for doctoral
studies.
In their first year, students have the right to request a different supervisor or dissertation
theme; such requests must always be warranted, and discussed and approved of by the
Council for doctoral studies. Changing supervisors in higher grades is allowed only in
exceptional cases.
STUDENT I.D. CARD – LOGIN INTO THE INFORMATION SYSTEM
Students may choose between two types of student I.D. cards when enrolling at Charles
University:
• Charles University Student I.D. Card
• Charles University Student I.D. Card with the ISIC license.
Every student is required to choose which variant of I.D. card they want, either the Charles
University Student I.D. Card or the Charles University Student I.D. Card with the ISIC
license (International Student Identity Card).
CONTACTS
Ing. Jana Jeníčková, Ph.D., Vice-dean of PhD degree study programmes, Faculty of the
Humanities at Charles University, U Kříže 8, 158 00, Prague 5.
Tel: 251 080 351; E-mail: jana.jenickova@fhs.cuni.cz
Assistants of vice-dean:
Bc. Tereza Šustková: tereza.sustkova@fhs.cuni.cz
Anna Puobišová: anna.puobisova@fhs.cuni.cz
Guarantor of Historical Sociology: doc. PhDr. Jiří Šubrt, CSc.
E-mail: jiri.subrt@fhs.cuni.cz.