Political Functions of the Intellectual Public Sphere in the Habsburg Monarchy during the Age of Enlightened Despotism

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12539
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03040:History of Europe and America-related
• Research Institution: Dokkyo University
• Principal Investigator: Uemura Toshiro 獨協大学, 外国語学部, 教授 (20624662)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ハプスブルク君主国 / 秘密結社 / 公共圏 / 出版メディア / 社会的ネットワーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to conduct all the planned archival research. However, the collected materials were analyzed, resulting in the publication of five papers. Additionally, a total of five conference presentations were made, including at the 2019 International Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies.

In the intellectual public sphere during the Enlightenment reform period, government media strategies were also implemented. The Enlightenment discourse circulating in the public sphere had a certain influence on the medical politics. Furthermore, it is believed that these discourses had a certain effect on popular enlightenment and the Enlightenment in Galicia, which was newly incorporated into the Habsburg Monarchy. Additionally, it can be assumed that the networks of secret societies were behind these discursive activities.

Free Research Field

西洋史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、啓蒙専制期のハプスブルク君主国における権力と言論活動の関係を明らかにすることを目指したものである。具体的には、ハプスブルク君主国の言論活動がドイツ語圏全体の知のネットワークにどのように接続し、政治的役割を果たしていたかを検証した。無神論などの過激な啓蒙思想が出版ネットワークや秘密結社、宗派ネットワークを通じて広がり、政府がそれを取り締まろうとする動きを明らかにした。本研究の成果は、現代のメディアと権力、検閲に関する課題を考える上でも重要である。