ELITENFORSCHUNG IN DER GESCHICHTE DES 19. UND 20. JAHRHUNDERTS

This volume, titled Elitenforschung in der Geschichte des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts, serves as a significant scholarly contribution to the historiography of European elites. Published as part of an academic series exploring social structures and power dynamics, it synthesizes research into how leadership groups navigated the political and social transformations that characterized the transition from the nineteenth century into the twentieth. The work emerged from collaborative efforts between historians Ewald Hiebl, Lukas Fasora, Judit Pál, and Petr Popelka, reflecting a cross-border academic engagement centered on the evolution of influence and societal governance.

The editorial approach centers on critical analysis, moving away from monolithic definitions of elite groups to examine instead the functional, cultural, and political mechanisms of prestige. By focusing on varied European contexts, the contributors aimed to provide a rigorous framework for understanding how these cohorts maintained or lost power during periods of intense systemic change. Within the field of contemporary historical studies, the volume is recognized for its methodical focus on the interplay between traditional nobility and the emerging bureaucratic and professional classes of the modern era.