Johannes Walter Benjamin Bent: studying the writing of history as means to make sense of the present is a very topical issue
Johannes Walter Benjamin Bent explored in his doctoral thesis, how did historical discourses provide basis for 20th century nation-building projects in interwar period. Although the topic covered the past, he finds it a topical issue to study, especially in the light of current Russian Federation war in Ukraine, where political actors narrate histories to legitimate and delegitimate action.
What was the tipping point in choosing to pursue a PhD?
I had the idea to do a PhD upon finishing my MA studies at Viadrina University in Frankfurt (Oder). The prospect to dedicate a couple of years to a topic I cared about was appealing to me, and doing a PhD also seemed a reasonable way to postpone certain life choices by extending one’s student life. And so, I was very happy when I got the chance to join an international ERC project at Tallinn University that was closely related to my research interests.
Why was it important to further study the topics you focus on in your thesis?
One of the key issues I studied in the thesis was how historical actors in the interwar period used the writing of history and philosophical reflection about history as a means to make sense of the present and also motivate action for the future. I dealt with that topic in a specific time, the interwar period, and my interest was primarily historical. Yet it is actually a very topical issue to study. To give an example: The Russian Federation’s warfare on Ukraine, justified on the basis of certain historical narratives, has sadly increased the relevance of dealing with the question of how societies and political actors devise historical images of themselves, and how they narrate histories to legitimate and delegitimate action. It can thus be crucial to have a better understanding of the political uses and implications of “doing history”.
What strategies did you use to consistently work on your doctoral thesis and successfully reach completion?
I had to learn that struggling with one’s thesis is an essential part of the writing process. In order to overcome difficulties and keep on writing, it proved crucial for me to be in touch with other PhD students (who were also struggling), my supervisors, but also friends and family. And so, the key strategy I can advise everyone to stick to is to take good care of your social surrounding. Without my family, supervisors, colleagues, and friends, I would have given up the PhD project on multiple occasions.
Based on your field of research, what does "intelligent lifestyle" mean for you?
As historians, we are constantly placing phenomena in a historical perspective in order to make sense of them. An “intelligent lifestyle” in that sense means to me to be able to succeed in developing and applying that historicising attitude towards the world, but also to be able to balance it with other perspectives and, ultimately, recognize its limits and shortcomings.