Theo-Politics of the Hussite Movement: from Reform to Revolution
This work represents an intellectual history of the first decade of the popular Hussite reform movement in early 15th century Bohemia. The goal of the work is to explain the process of theo-political radicalization, and eventually popular activism and revolutionary violence, by exploring the central discourses and symbols which were adapted and deployed by the movement’s leaders during this time. This is achieved by thoroughly situating Hussite radicalism within an intellectual background which is more diverse and nuanced than usually appreciated by historiography. The topics of Hussite religious and political thought have long been central in modern research, but the durability of certain anachronistic assumptions and canonical narratives have still precluded certain important questions and comprehensive approaches. To challenge these limitations, this dissertation broadens the discussion diachronically and re-centers it on under-appreciated discourses and thinkers, with the intellectual tradition of Christian Platonism acting as a central reference point.
Examination Committee:
Michael Miller - chair (Nationalism Studies Program, CEU)
Matthias Riedl - supervisor (Department of History, CEU)
Gabor Klaniczay - internal member (Department of Medieval Studies, CEU)
Pavel Soukup - external member (Center for Medieval Studies / Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague)
Stephen Lahey - external reader (Classics & Religious Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
The doctoral defense will take place online for the audience.
The doctoral dissertation is available for inspection.
For further information, please contact Margaretha Boockmann (BoockmannM@ceu.edu)