Department of Economic History

Chair of the department:

Doctor of Historical Sciences
Professor
Natalya Poletayeva

The Department of Economic History is the continuer of long-standing and pedagogical traditions. The teaching of the history of the national economy began in 1921 at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Belarusian State University. With the creation in 1933 of the BINKH named after V.V. Kuibyshev, the course of the history of the national economy was established as one of the leading disciplines in training of economists with a higher education. However, the special department of economic history was formed in 1968. Associate Professor T.P. Tratsevskaya became the first head of the department.

From September 1968 to October 1970, corresponding member of AS BSSR, Professor K.I. Shabunya, performed the duties of the head. During this period, the first educational materials, "Economic History of the Byelorussian SSR," were prepared and published. From 1970 to 1979, the department was headed by Professor V.G. Gnevko, from 1979 to 1985 – by Associate Professor B.F. Nikonovich. From 1985 to 1988, the head of the department was Associate Professor V.I. Golubovich. The department provided teaching of such disciplines as "Economic History of the USSR", "Economic History of Socialist Countries" (the form of control was an exam), and "Economic History of Capitalist Countries" (the form of control was a credit). From 1988 to 1991, all these disciplines were taught by the members of the section of economic history as a part of the Department of Territorial Distribution and the History of the Development of Productive forces.

The Department of Economic History was recreated by the decision of the Council of the Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) on October 29, 1991 (protocol № 10). This day can rightly be considered the birthday of the modern Department of Economic History. At first, Professor G.G. Gerasimenko headed the department, and then from the end of 1991 to 2004, Professor Valery I. Golubovich took over as the head of the department. Under his leadership, the textbooks "Economic History of Belarus" and "Economic History of Foreign Countries" were published and repeatedly reprinted. The last of these publications has repeatedly been recognized as a bestseller in the market of textbooks, without reference to which none of the textbooks on the course of the history of the economy in the post-Soviet space do not do.

The staff of the department also developed textbooks: "History of tourism" (Associate Professor G.F. Shapoval), "History of the financial and credit system of Belarus" (Associate Professor Yu.L. Gruzitsky), "Monuments of the history of culture of Belarus" (Associate Professor A.F. Samusik), "History of the world economy and international economic relations" (Associate Professor T.I. Povalikhina), and others.

From September 2004 to April 2017, the head of the department was Yury N. Bokhan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, who specialized in researching the historical and economic issues of urban settlements in Belarus during the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since April 2017, the head of the department has been Natalia I. Poletaeva, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor.

Educational activities

Disciplines

The department provides teaching of social and humanitarian disciplines:

1. History of Belarusian Statehood.
2. The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet People (in the context of World War II).
3. Economic History.
4. Economic History of Foreign Countries.
5. History of Entrepreneurship.
6. History of Belarus' Foreign Economic Relations.
7. Urban Civilization in Belarus.
8. Monuments of History and Culture.

The department staff is engaged in studying various aspects of the history of Belarus and foreign countries, involving university students in their research activities. Some of them become winners and laureates of various competitions, including the republican level.

The department maintains long-term close ties with the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus, educational institutions of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Members of the department, in collaboration with colleagues from other research centers, prepare publications on Belarusian history and participate in numerous academic conferences.

Research work

The main research areas of the department are:

Contacts

Address:  26 Partizansky Av., building 1,
office 607

Tel.:+375 17 209 88 86

Email: kei@bseu.by