Faculty of History

Chair of history of countries of Northern Europe

Head of the Chair,      Associate Professor, Ph.D. in History, Takala Irina Reievna Lenin str., 33, room#413 Tel.: (814-2) 711-099 E-mail: irina.takala@onego.ru

• Specialization in history of countries of Northern Europe
• Personnel of the chair
• Laboratory on the problems of Scandinavian countries and Finland

Specialization in history of countries of Northern Europe

The scientific school on studying history of countries of Northern Europe and, first of all, history of Finland and the Russian - Finnish relations, and also history of Karelia in the context of interrelations of Russia and Finland exists in Petrozavodsk State University many years. Sources Karelian (domestic) Finnistics had Doctor of History, Professor I.I.Kajvarajnen (1912-1996).

Today PetrSU is the only higher educational institution in Russia where historical faculty has the specialization on studying history of the countries of Northern Europe, approved by Educational Methodical association of universities of Russia on the direction "History" (N28-09/1 from 12.01.98). In April of 1999 by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation the specialization was given codification number 020713 (History of Finland and Scandinavian countries, specially for PetrSU). 

The separate enrolling on specialization is held since 1992 (12 budgetary places), and it has gained great popularity among university enrollees, competition on entrance examinations is traditionally high.

Opening of the specialization has demanded significant efforts on organization of educational process. The curriculum for 5 years of training was made, various auxiliary methodical materials were prepared. Besides the author's lecture course on history of the countries of Northern Europe from the Epoch of vikings up to the modernity (it was developed and is performed by three teachers during 6 semester in the total volume of 180 hours), students listen to lectures on Ethnography of peoples of Northern Europe, Archeology of Fennoscandia, history of Scandinavian and Finnish literature, various optional lecture courses on independent problems of history, historiography and culture of the region. Compulsry special courses developed by teachers on materials of their own scientific researches are also included in the curriculum. 

Great attention is paid to language preparation of students, they study Finnish, Swedish, English, and also, facultatively, other Scandinavian languages. Constant practice is participation of students in the summer language course held by universities of Sweden and Finland.

Expansion of scientific relations of teachers along with good language and vocational training of students have allowed to achieve the further perfection of process of training. For the past 5 years not less than 20 students from the specialization worked or continue to work on probation and training in the higher schools of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. In 1996/97 academic year arrangement between historical faculties of PetrSU, University of Turku and Abo Academy (Finland) was achieved on exchange of teachers and students and since 1999 we have the opportunity to send not less than two persons annually to study in Turku. Exchange of students and lecturers occurs also according to contracts between PetrSU, universities of Helsinki, Tampere and Joensuu. In the stage of becoming there are educational and scientific contacts with higher educational institutions of Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Poland. 

In turn experts from PetrSU render scientific and methodical assistance, advise foreign colleagues and post-graduate students, supervise over work of trainees and students. All teachers of specialization repeatedly read lectures in high schools of Finland (universities of Helsinki, Turku, Oulu, Yvaskyla, and Joensuu).
For maintenance of educational process within the framework of new specialization and for realization of scientific work in 1992 thete was created the Laboratory on the problems of Scandinavian countries and Finland as a subdivision of the Chair of world history.

Absence of modern educational and methodical publications for the given specialization has caused their preparation. The teachers of specialization have issued the following books: 

- Program on history of Scandinavian countries. / by I.Takala.  Petrozavodsk, 1986, 22;
- Program on history of countries of Northern Europe. Part I / by I.Takala. Petrozavodsk, 1995. 22;
- I.Takala, I.Solomesch, Yu.Kilin Program on history of countries of Northern Europe. Petrozavodsk, 1998. 30;
- V.Rasila.History of Finland / Translation into Russian and scientific editing by L.Suni. Petrozavodsk, 1996. 295.

In the nearest plans is fulfilling writing the school-book Finland in the Russian empire (within the framework of the project "History of empires" of the Open Society Institution/Soros Foundation", by I.Solomesch, I.Takala, L.Suni, Timo Vihavainen), as well as completing the school-book History of countries of Northern Europe: course of lectures (by I.Takala and I.Solomesch.) 

Articles:
I.Takala. Studying and teaching history of the countries of Northern Europe in PetrSU.

 

Personnel of the chair:

1. Takala Irina Reievna, Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor, head of the chair, e-mail: takala@psu.karelia.ru, irina.takala@onego.ru.

2. Suni Leo Valterovich, Doctor of History, Full Professor, e-mail: suni@karelia.ru

3. Solomesch Ilya Motelevich, Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor, head of the Laboratory on the problems of Scandinavian countries and Finland, e-mail: isol@karelia.ru

4. Suvorov Yuri Vladimirovich, Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor, e-mail: suvorov@psu.karelia.ru

5. Melnikov Igor Valerievich, Ph.D. in History

6. Dubrovskaya Elena Yurievna, Ph.D. in History, senior staff scientist

7. Lesnikova Irina Sergeyevna, methodologist, e-mail: lesn@psu.karelia.ru