As of 2013, although there were many professional history training and research institutions in Vietnam, no scientific center had a department or specialization in urban history. Meanwhile, Urban History has consistently been one of the strongest disciplines and specializations at many historical research and training institutions worldwide, from North America (The Urban History Association) to Northern Europe (The Danish Centre for Urban History; Institute of Urban History, Stockholm...), Western Europe (Centre for Urban History at Leicester - University of Leicester; Institut für Europäische Urbanistik (IfEU), Uni Weimar; Institut für Städtebau und Wohnungswesen, München, European Association for Urban History (European Union), the United States (Urban History from the University of Chicago); East Asia (The Center for Urban History, Tokyo)... In addition, Urban History has also become an important research area of historical science with numerous prestigious scientific journals published at many universities and research centers around the world.
In general, research and training in Urban History is widespread globally and regionally, but still relatively new in Vietnam. Meanwhile, research on rural areas, agriculture, and farmers in Vietnamese history has affirmed the professional prestige of the Faculty of History. Along with the development of the times, the trend of urban expansion in Vietnam (and to some extent, the trend of "urbanization") has been and is continuing strongly. Therefore, studying the process of Urban History in Vietnam within the context of the region and the world will contribute to supplementing and perfecting current historical issues in our country.
Teachers and students specializing in Urban History
Based on that scientific understanding, over the past two decades, research programs on Urban History have been systematically carried out by generations of faculty and students of the Department of History. Besides training and guiding students from 2015 to the present, the Urban History specialization of the Department of History has also organized numerous workshops, seminars, and published scientific publications on related topics such as:
1. International Conference: Cities in Asia and Europe: A Comparative Study (November 21-22, 2016).
2. Scientific seminar - History of Hanoi. From the Imperial to the Socialist City - Prof. Detlef Briesen, Giessen University, Germany (September 30, 2016)
3. International Workshop: An Interdisciplinary Perspective in Urban History Research [Vietnam Urban Development in Vietnamese History: An Interdisciplinary Perspective] (September 29-30, 2015), Hanoi.
4. Workshop: Urban Studies Research and Training in the Context of Current Urbanization in Vietnam (January 28, 2021), Hanoi.
5. Course on Urban Studies - Summer course with the theme: “Urbanism, Space and People in Hanoi” (September 18-29, 2023) - in collaboration with the University of Cologne, Germany and the Department of Urban History, Faculty of History.
6. Publication of a monograph: History of Vietnamese Cities: Documents and Research, Hanoi National University Publishing House, Hanoi, 2016.
Summer Course: “Urbanism, Space and People in Hanoi” (September 18-29, 2023)
More importantly, in the context of Vietnam's current rapid urbanization process, the establishment of a specialized training program in Urban History research since 2015 has contributed to preparing the professional foundation to meet the societal demand for research on urban history and the urbanization process. From there, the Faculty of History in particular, and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi in general, make a practical contribution to research and policy advice for the overall development of modern Vietnamese cities.
Some learning and practical activities of teachers and students specializing in Urban History.
Career opportunities for graduates specializing in Urban History are diverse and abundant:
- The system of universities and colleges nationwide: students can participate in teaching issues related to urban studies and history in general, and urban history in particular.
- National research institutes and centers: oriented towards independent research and teamwork at national research institutes and centers in or near the field of study (Institute of Urban Planning, Institute of Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning, Institute of Tropical Architecture, Institute of Heritage Conservation Research, Institute of History, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies...).
- Departments, agencies, research centers, and monument restoration centers in localities… In addition, related departments and agencies such as the Department of Culture, Museums, and History Writing Boards of provinces… are all suitable professional addresses for students graduating from the Urban History specialization.
- Other units: Ministries, Departments, and Bureaus that have a need for personnel specializing in History in general; information and communication units (newspapers, radio stations); Emulation and Commendation Boards; Tourism agencies; representative offices, etc.
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