Address: Mārstaļu street 28/30, Rīga, LV–1050, room No. 44
Phone: +371 67283734
Chairman: Dr. habil. hist., Prof. Inesis Feldmanis
E-mail: Inesis.Feldmanis@lu.lv

The Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Western Europe and America was founded in 1976 (chairmen Prof. M. Duhanovs, and Prof. A. Varslavāns), as a result of reorganisation of the Department of General History. In 1991, alongside closing the USSR Department and reorganising the Department of Modern and Contemporary History, the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Eastern Europe and America was founded (chairman Prof. A. Varslavāns, since 1995 - Prof. I. Feldmanis) and still functions under this name.

The research activities of the Department cover the following main areas:

• Modern and contemporary history of Eastern Europe and America, and historiography
• World War II
• History of Baltic Germans
• Latvian foreign policy of the 20^th century, in particular during the interwar period
• Cooperation between the Baltic countries during the interwar period
• Baltic issue in the post-war period
• Relations between Latvia and the League of Nations
• History of authoritarianism in Latvia
• History of Latvian political system
• Historiography of the history of Latvia

The Department collaborates with all leading Latvian history research centres: the UL Institute of History of Latvia, Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, Latvian War Museum, Department of History of the Daugavpils University.
Professors of this Department are also members of the Commission of the Historians of Latvia.

Collaboration also occurs with foreign colleagues and research centres, such as the Tartu Baltic Studies Centre and Commission of Baltic History.