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Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion
1848 in the Rear-View Mirror:

Contemporary Resonances of a European Revolution

What can the wave of revolutions of 1848 teach us about the political turbulence of today?

Bilde viser Christopher Clark sittende ved en pult med en bok fremfor seg.
THE BERGEN HISTORY LECTURE: Sir Christopher Clark launches the Bergen History Lecture with a talk on the revolutionary wave of 1848 and its relevance today, on September 11. The annual event is supported by the Bergen University Fund. Foto/ill.: ZDF, Tobias Schult, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Photo:
ZDF, Tobias Schult, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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In 1848, Europe stood on the brink of transformation. From Paris to Vienna, Berlin to Budapest, the year witnessed a continent-wide "revolutionary spring" as people took to the streets to demand a new kind of future. 

The only true European revolution

More than 175 years later, the echoes of that revolutionary wave still reverberate. To explore its lasting impact, we’re thrilled to launch the Bergen History Lecture with a very special guest: Sir Christopher Clark, Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge.

His lecture 1848 in the Rear-View Mirror: Contemporary Resonances of a European Revolution will explore what he calls “the only truly European revolution”—a sweeping, continent-wide upheaval that utterly reshaped Europe's political landscape.

Understanding 1848 in Today’s World

Sir Christopher Clark will connect the hopes, struggles, and transformations of 1848 to the challenges we face today. He will offer fresh insights into a world where long-standing political ideas and identities are rapidly shifting. Whether you're passionate about history or simply curious about how the past speaks to the present, this is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the most compelling historical thinkers of our time.

The Bergen History Lecture

The Bergen History Lecture is a newly established annual event, made possible through support from the Bergen University Fund. Each year, a distinguished international historian will be invited to present a public lecture that explores a historical theme and its relevance to contemporary society.