Curriculum Vitae
Prof. Dr. Béla Tomka
Born 8 May 1962, Salgótarján, Hungary; Married, two children
Office address: Department of Contemporary History, University of Szeged, Egyetem utca 2, Szeged H-6722, Hungary
Tel.: (+36) 62-544-806, fax: (+36) 62-544-464
E-mail: tomka@hist.u-szeged.hu
Positions Held / Academic Employment
2019–
Leader of the Interuniversity Research Group “History of Globalization” founded by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
2014–
Head of Department, Department of Contemporary History, University of Szeged
2011–
Professor of Social and Economic History, Department of Contemporary History, University of Szeged
1999–2010
Associate Professor of Social and Economic History, Department of History, University of Szeged
1995–1999
Assistant Professor, Attila József University, Szeged
1989–1995
Assistant Lecturer, Attila József University, Szeged
1988–1989
Assistant Lecturer, Budapest University of Economics, Budapest
Education / Major Grants and Visiting Fellowships
2014
Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung, Regensburg, Visiting Fellow (3 months)
2012
Friedrich Schiller-Universität, Imre Kertész Kolleg, Jena, Visiting Fellow (12 months)
2010
“Second Doctorate” / “Higher Doctorate” (DSc), Hungarian Academy of Sciences
2010
Humboldt University, Berlin, Visiting Fellow (3 months)
2005
Portland State University, USA, Visiting Professor (3 months)
2004–2005
Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Edinburgh, Fellowship (3 months)
2003
“Dr. habil.”-degree (Venia legendi), Debrecen University, Debrecen
2003–2007
Széchenyi Professorial Award (‘Junior Professor’), Ministry of Education, Republic of Hungary
2002
Oxford University, St. John’s College, Visiting Fellow (2 weeks)
2001–2002
Center for Comparative History of Europe, Freie Universität, Berlin, Humboldt Fellowship (12 months)
2000
International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, Fellow (3 months)
2000
Mannheimer Zentrum für Europäische Sozialforschung, Mannheim, Visiting Fellow (2 months)
1997–2002
Széchenyi Professorial Award (‘Junior Professor’), Ministry of Education, Republic of Hungary
1996
Ph.D. in Economic and Social History, Kossuth University, Debrecen (summa cum laude)
1994
“Dr. univ.”-degree in History, Attila József University, Szeged (summa cum laude)
1992–1993
Postgraduate studies at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA (10 months)
1990–1991
Postgraduate studies at Westfälische Wilhelms–Universität, Münster, Germany (10 months)
1988–1991
Doctoral studies in Economic and Social History, Budapest University of Economics (BKAE), Budapest
1988
M.A. in History and History of Eastern Europe, Attila József University, Szeged
Major Awards
2014
“Outstanding Academic Title 2013 Award” by CHOICE, American Library Association (for “A Social History of Twentieth-Century Europe”, London and New York: Routledge, 2013)
2010
Award of the Academy (for Distinguished Scholarly Achievement), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest
2010
Bolyai Award for Distinguished Scholarly Contribution, Bolyai Foundation, Budapest
Research Experience
Research projects in the field of 20th-century social and economic history of East Central Europe, with an emphasis on comparative and interdisciplinary approaches. Thematic focuses are social policy, demography and family, economic institutions and process of economic growth, consumption. Projects included
“Transfers of Institutions and Cultural Practices in 20th-Century Hungary”
“Social Policy in 20th-Century Hungary in an International Comparison,”
“Demographic Integration in 20th-Century Europe,”
“Family Development in Hungary in International Context, 1918–1990,”
“Hungarian Banking in International Comparison, 1850–1931,”
“Bank–Industry Relations in Hungary before the First World War”
Since 1991 Principal Investigator on 9 research grants funded by the OTKA (National Fund of Scientific Research), Budapest and OKTK (National Fund for Research in the Social Sciences), Budapest
Participation in international research projects, including “The European Social Model – On the Way to a Transnational Welfare State,” Wissenschaftszentrum zu Berlin (2003–2004); “A European Social Solidarity?” European University Institute, Florence (2006–2007); invited expert of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, project “Shared Histories for a Europe without Dividing Lines” (2011), “Challenges of Modernity,” Book project, Imre Kertész Kolleg, Jena (2012–2016); “Living standard in East-Central Europe, 1913–2010”, Univerzita Hradec Králové (2018–2019)
Current Research / Work in Progress
“Transfers of Institutions and Cultural Practices in 20th-Century Hungary”
Teaching Experience
Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses in 20th-century social and economic history; Doctoral supervision (Department of History and East-Central Europe International Studies Programme, University of Szeged, Szeged; Department of History, Eötvös University, Budapest; Department of Economics, Department of History, Portland State University, USA)
Editorial Experience
2017–
Demográfia, Review of Population Research, Budapest, Member of the Editorial Board
2012–
Hungarian Historical Review, Budapest, Board member
2011–
ISHA Newsletter (International Social History Association, Amsterdam), Editor
1994–
Esély, Journal of Social Policy, Budapest, Member of the Editorial Board
1992–
Aetas, a Quarterly Journal of History and Related Disciplines, Szeged, Co-Editor
Professional Service
2016–
Head of the Doctoral Programme Contemporary and Comparative History, University of Szeged
2003–
Member of Doctoral Council, Faculty of Arts, University of Szeged
2000–
Board Member of OTKA (National Fund of Scientific Research), Budapest
2000–
External Founding Member of the Doctoral (PhD) Programme in Social and Economic History, Eötvös University (ELTE), Budapest
1998–
Referee a. o. of OTKA (National Fund of Scientific Research), Budapest; Czech Science Fund, Prague; Institute for Advanced Study at Central European University, Budapest; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest; Eötvös University (ELTE), Budapest; Member of Doctoral Board, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
1993–2000
Member of Department of History Council, Attila József University
1991–1992
Member of University Reform Committee, Attila József University
Professional Affiliations
2016–
President of the István Hajnal Society of Social History, Hungary
2016–
Board member, Studien zur Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte Ostmitteleuropas, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden
2010–
Board Member of the International Social History Association, Amsterdam
2007–2012
Board Member of the István Hajnal Society of Social History, Hungary
Selected Conference Presentations, 2005–
“London–Sapporo–Szeged International Workshop for Slavic and Eurasian Studies”, Szeged, September 22–24, 2016
Title of paper delivered: “Austerities and Aspirations: Consumption and Leisure in Communist East Central Europe”
“Debating the Cold War”, University College, Birkbeck College, London, February 5, 2016
Title of presentation: “Was there a Welfare State in the East as well as the West?”
22nd International Congress of Historical Sciences, Session “Social History Worldwide: Decline and Revival”, Jinan, August 23–29, 2015
Title of presentation: “Globalization and European Social History”
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of World History, Beijing, August 21, 2015
Title of presentation: “Economic Growth in 20th Century Eastern Europe: Recent Findings and Interpretations of Research”
Conference “1989 and Its Antecedents in East Central Europe”, Blinken European Institute, Columbia University, New York, May 9–10, 2013
Title of presentation: “Revisiting Long-Term Economic Performance in East Central Europe: Twentieth-Century Hungary in an International Comparison”
Conference “The European Welfare State in a Global Context”, German Historical Institute London, April 11–13, 2013
Title of presentation: “Social Welfare in post-war East Central Europe: Structure, Functions and Dynamics”
Friedrich Schiller Universität, Jena, Imre Kertész Kolleg, October 12, 2012
Title of presentation: “From Clusters to Hybrids: Determinants of Social Policy in Post-communist East Central Europe”
Conference “Shared Histories for a Europe without Dividing Lines”, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, October 27–28, 2011
Title of presentation: “Demography, Social Structure and Urbanization during the Industrial Revolutions”
University of Ljubljana, Humboldt-Kolleg, April 12, 2011
Title of presentation: “Social Policy in 20th Century Eastern Europe: Institutions and Determinants in a Comparative Perspective”
21th International Congress of Historical Sciences, Amsterdam, 2010, Session 20, “Towards a World History? Social Policies and Politics in a Globalised World”.
Title of paper delivered: “Social welfare in the European peripheries: Institutions, interactions and critical junctures in 20th century East Central Europe”
Public Sphere and Environment in Slavic Eurasia and Japan. International Conference organized by Slavic Reseach Center, Hokkaido University – Research Institute for Humanity and Nature. Kyoto, Research Institute for Humanity, February 28 – March 1, 2009
Title of paper delivered: “Social Welfare in Communist East Central Europe: Structure, Functions and Dynamics”
The Two Wests: Democracy, Citizenship and Social Rights in the United States and Europe (1918–2008), University of Eastern Piedmont – Columbia University, New York, Vercelli–Torino, May 23–24, 2008
Title of presentation: “Social Security in Post-war East Central Europe”
New Approaches to Comparative History in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, Central European University – Sofian Centre for Advanced Study, Sofia, April 17–19, 2008
Title of paper delivered: “Comparative History in East Central Europe: Reflections on Missed Opportunities”
Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Budapest, November 28, 2007
Title of presentation: “Welfare states in post-war Europe: Trends, types and achievements”
European Social Policy Association Conference, Wien, September 21, 2007
Chair of the session “The History of Social Policy in a Wider Europe”
“Europa im Zeichen von Sicherheit und Risiko”, Freie Universität, Berlin, August 22, 2007
Title of presentation: “Social Policy in 20th Century Europe: East–West Comparisons”
“50 Jahre Römische Verträge. Supranationale Institutionen und transnationale Erfahrungsräume”, Berliner Kolleg für Vergleichende Geschichte Europas, Berlin, 16–17. März 2007
Title of paper delivered: “European integration and social policy from an East Central European perspective”
European Social Solidarity in Historical Perspective, European University Institute, Florence, December 6, 2006
Title of presentation: “Social Solidarity in East Central Europe: Strong Welfare and Weak Labour?”
European Social Solidarity in Historical Perspective, European University Institute, Florence, October 10, 2006
Title of paper delivered: “Social Solidarity in East Central Europe”
Congreso Internacional „Del Espacio Social Europeo a la Europa Social?, Universidad de Salamanca, October 19–21, 2005
Title of paper delivered: “Social and Economic Convergences in 20th Century Europe: East Central Europe and the European Social Model”
VII World Congress of International Committee of Central and East European Studies, Berlin, July 29, 2005
Title of presentation: “Formation and Persistence of European Social Models: Converging and Diverging Patterns of Welfare Development in East Central Europe after WWII”
Chair of the Session “Welfare State in Post-communism in the Context of European Integration”
20th International Conference of Historical Sciences, Sydney, Session 21, Models of Welfare State Formation in the Global Context, July 3–9, 2005
Title of paper delivered: “Determinants of Welfare Development in 20th Century East Central Europe”
Fighting Poverty and Reforming Social Security, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, East European Studies, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005
Title of paper delivered: “Perils of institutionalized volatility: Some lessons from East Central European welfare reforms”
Institute for the Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh, January 26, 2005
Title of paper delivered: “Welfare Systems in 20th Century East Central Europe. A Comparative View”
Languages
Native Hungarian; fluency in English and German
Other Interests
Travelling and DIY