The Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute invited early-career researchers to apply for postdoctoral fellowships for 2025-2026. The postdoctoral fellowship was funded for Dr. Vika Veličkaitė, whose research interests include the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the diaries of Radvila Žuvele, and the history of culture and daily life.
The aim of Dr. Veličkaitė’s postdoctoral research is to investigate the relation of Mykolas Kazimieras Radvila Žuvelė (1702-1762) with the cities of the Republic of the Two Nations based on the diary he wrote for 40 years. The research will focus on how Radvila organised his life during his visits to the cities of the Republic and how his visits influenced the city’s culture, social and political environment. The study will delve into the regional and urban transformations, municipal and political aspects, as well as the interaction between the nobleman and the citizens. It will shed light not only on Radvila’s behaviour and activities in the cities but also on the broader features of the relationship between the nobleman and the cities in the Republic of the Two Nations.
Mykolas Kazimieras Radvila Žuvelė (1702-1762), Grand Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Governor of Vilnius, was one of the most influential Lithuanian nobles of the 18th century. Although controversially regarded by historians, Radvila was able to exert considerable influence in the political and social life of the country based on his descent, wealth and loyalty to the ruler Augustus III.
The study will be of significance for the social sciences and humanities, as it will provide detailed empirical data on the specifics of the nobleman-urban contact in the cities of the ATR, as well as enrich the historical analysis of regional and urban transformations. By using modern technologies and artificial intelligence for data processing and analysis, the study will contribute to the analysis of the application of innovative methods and will provide a basis for further research on data processing and analysis.
The postdoctoral fellowship will run until December 2026. The next call for postdoctoral fellows is planned for the end of 2025.
This postdoctoral fellowship is funded by the project “Strengthening the R&D activities of the Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (SOCMTEP)”. The project is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, Contract No S-A-UEI-23-13 (2023-12-27).
