Mission

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Established in 1977, the Center for Austrian Studies is the Western Hemisphere's oldest and best-known research center focusing on the past, present, and future of Austria and the successor states of the Habsburg Empire in Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe. 

As part of its mission, the Center for Austrian Studies:

  • serves as an international leader in promoting new scholarship on Austria, and other regions formerly part of the Habsburg Empire in Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, across disciplines in the humanities, the social sciences, the fine arts, and international business management
  • connects scholars, students, and an international community to resources in Austria, Central Europe, the EU, and Minnesota
  • reaches out to students, scholars, and an international community of educated non-academics to bring awareness of Central and Eastern Europe and its relevance to American life
  • enriches the mission of the University and the College of Liberal Arts by connecting its research, teaching and outreach programs to communities across Minnesota

The Center's scope is far-reaching, and includes (but is not limited to) the critical study of:

  • medieval and early modern history in the Holy Roman Empire
  • the Habsburg Empire prior to is dissolution in 1918
  • borders, borderlands, and the rise of nationalisms among the various populations within the former Habsburg Empire
  • modern art and science, as cities such a Vienna, Prague, and Budapest became important centers for their development
  • mass political movements during the 20th century and their aftermath
  • immigrant and refugee populations from Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe to the United States, particularly during the 20th century following the rise of fascism, the onset of the Cold War, and the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
  • Austria's current role in the EU and beyond for environmentalism, diplomacy, and global trade following the EU's expansion between the 1990's and 2010's. 

The Center for Austrian Studies is governed by its constitution, and as an academic unit within the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, all policies and procedures set forth by the College of Liberal Arts.