Centre profile
The Sociaal Historisch Centrum voor Limburg (Centre for the Social History of Limburg, SHCL), founded in 1949, is an independent research infrastructure affiliated with FASoS. It provides access to historical sources, maintains a library collection, develops research, and publishes a yearbook and a dissertation series. Its current director is Dr. Nico Randeraad. Head of research is Dr. Willibrord Rutten. Prof. dr. Joep Leerssen occupies the part-time special chair ‘Limburg and Europe’. SHCL conducts research in the fields of transnational studies and comparative regional history. These fields are particularly relevant in the history of the cross-border region around Maastricht (today’s Meuse-Rhine Euregion) and of modern Europe in general.
The comparative approach enables the SHCL to connect with research institutes and universities elsewhere in Europe. There are many links with researchers at FASoS in all research groups. The SHCL programme thus adds to the faculty’s European profile and contributes to Maastricht University’s research theme ‘Europe and a Globalising World’.
On account of SHCL’s dual academic and public function, its staff and fellows publish articles in national and international refereed journals and professional outlets (mostly for a regional audience), and are also involved in commissioned research. As an institute for regional history, SHCL participates in quite a few projects dealing with aspects of the history of Limburg. Its research is disseminated by SHCL publications, especially the SHCL yearbook (Studies voor de sociaaleconomische geschiedenis van Limburg) and a dissertation series on regional history (Maaslandse Monografieën). SHCL organises symposia and courses in these fields. SHCL staff supervises (external) PhD candidates, trainees, and students engaged in regional history and cultural heritage. SHCL contributes to teaching at FASoS, in the fields of general and regional history and heritage studies; it also offers internships for FASoS students in Arts and Culture.
You can access the website of the centre here.
Director Nico Randeraad wearing shoes based on design drawings found in the Nicolas archives