The History of Daily
Life has already become a field of historic research that developed new
and other interests in the analysis of different primary sources. The
most important questions of the History of Daily Life concentrate on the
role of repetitive, habitualized and routinized behavior of humans in
the past, spotting thus patterns, would say the Prof. Gerhard Jaritz,
one of the leading figures in the History of Daily Life. Other problems
concern various aspects of the role of mentality and material culture in
this framework. The class is an introduction into this field of
research. Special attention is paid to the theoretical and
methodological aspects of analysis, the usage of various types of
sources (written, visual and material ones), and their critical
interpretation. We also concentrate on questions of source intention,
representation, image and ‘reality,’ norm and practice, contrasts,
connotations, ambiguities, and ambivalences. Research and analysis have
to be seen in context with the role and influence of different aspects
of space in Albanian life.
