The ReCall Project’s second national student meeting, held in Budapest on April 7, 2025, brought together an engaged and intellectually curious community of students and young researchers. The highlight of the event was an outstanding public lecture delivered by Professor Maciej Janowski, Director of the Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Hosted at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), the lecture—titled “Carpathian Mountains as a Challenge for Historians – Methodological Considerations”—took place on April 9, 2025, at the Faculty of Humanities. The event attracted a full room of participants, reflecting both the relevance of the topic and the growing academic interest in transnational and regional approaches to Central European history.

In his thought-provoking presentation, Professor Janowski addressed one of the most complex and fascinating regions of Europe: the Carpathian Mountains. Rather than treating the Carpathians merely as a geographical entity, he framed them as a methodological challenge for historians, raising fundamental questions about how historical narratives are constructed in multi-ethnic, multilingual, and politically fragmented regions.

The lecture explored key historiographical dilemmas, including:

• How can historians synthesize the vast and diverse source material of the Carpathian region without reducing it to either an encyclopedic catalogue or overly narrow case studies?
• In what ways do linguistic, cultural, and political diversity shape historical interpretation in Central Europe?
• Should regional history be approached from a “top-down” macro perspective or through “bottom-up” microhistorical analysis of local communities?

Professor Janowski also offered insights into his ongoing large-scale research project, which aims to present a comprehensive history of the Carpathian region from early written sources to the modern era. His reflections emphasized the importance of comparative and transnational methodologies, which align closely with the intellectual framework of the ReCall Project.

The lecture sparked a lively and highly productive discussion among participants. Students and researchers raised questions about:

• The limits of national historiographies in understanding shared regional pasts
• The role of environmental and geographical factors in shaping historical processes
• The potential of interdisciplinary approaches, including anthropology, linguistics, and digital humanities

The interactive nature of the session demonstrated the value of dialogue-driven academic environments, which the ReCall Project actively promotes through its workshops and public events.

This event exemplified the core mission of the ReCall Project: to foster a deeper understanding of Central Europe’s shared historical heritage through collaborative, transnational, and interdisciplinary dialogue.

By bringing together leading scholars such as Professor Janowski and a new generation of students, the project creates spaces where:

• National narratives are critically reassessed
• Regional connections are highlighted
• New methodological approaches are tested and discussed

The Budapest meeting confirmed that there is a strong demand for such initiatives, particularly among students seeking to move beyond traditional, nation-centered frameworks.

The success of this lecture reinforces the importance of the ReCall Project’s public lecture series and student engagement activities. As the project continues, further events will build on this momentum, offering new opportunities for learning, exchange, and collaboration across Central Europe.

We thank Professor Maciej Janowski for his inspiring contribution and all participants for their active engagement.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and continue exploring Central Europe—together.