History & Philosophy Seminar Series: Political Trials in Modern History

Come to the Castle View Meeting Room (beside President’s Office on 3rd Floor) on March 20, 2024, from 6 pm 7:30 pm, for a presentation by Simona Kováčová exploring the phenomenon of political trials in modern history.

Kováčová will introduce the concept of political trials, using multiple examples from the 20th century to illustrate their key components, similarities, and differences, while considering what distinguishes a trial as political. Various examples will be examined, including the Nuremberg trials, the Eichmann trial, Stalin’s show trials, and the Smith Act trials, all with the aim of helping the audience to comprehend the significance of such events and to identify their indicators and distinguishing characteristics.

Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Historical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Simona Kováčová earned a bachelor’s degree from Queen Mary University of London and a master’s degree from Charles University. Focusing on 20th-century antisemitism and political repressions in Czechoslovakia, she is engaged in ongoing research projects at the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

The History and Philosophy Seminar series offers opportunities for AAU students, community, and the broader public to engage with research and ideas in history and philosophy, and aims to encourage and guide new generations of scholars in these fields. Enquiries may be addressed to the convenor, Dr. Gerald Power at gerald.power@aauni.edu.