Monika VrzgulováView profile
Researcher
Monika Vrzgulová is a distinguished researcher at the Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (ÚESA SAS), where she has been working continuously since 1987. She holds a PhDr. degree (1988) and CSc. (1997), and has established herself as a leading expert in social memory studies, Holocaust research, and the politics of remembrance in Slovakia. Her research focuses on social memory and identity, with special emphasis on the Holocaust period, socialist era, and contemporary politics of remembrance in Slovakia. She has extensively explored prejudices and stereotypes in social discourse and practiced what she terms 'engaged ethnology' through numerous field studies and oral history projects. Her scholarly approach combines rigorous academic research with practical applications for public education and memorialization efforts. Dr. Vrzgulová's scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on memory studies, particularly examining how historical events like the Holocaust and socialism are remembered and interpreted in contemporary Slovak society. Her work frequently employs oral history methodology to capture personal narratives and examine their relationship to broader social and political contexts. She has made significant contributions to understanding Jewish history in Slovakia, intergenerational memory transmission, and the representation of historical events in public discourse. Her scientific achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Young Researcher of the Year (1998), the Ethnological Society of Slovakia Award (2004), and the Slovak Academy of Sciences Award for science popularization (2018). As a principal investigator, Dr. Vrzgulová has led numerous significant research projects, including the APVV-0345 'Contemporary Images of Socialism (2017-2021)'. She has also been actively involved in educational initiatives related to Holocaust education, serving as a consultant for the Milan Šimečka Foundation and coordinating educational programs for schools. Internationally, she served as coordinator for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum research project from 2011-2016 and participated in the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure project. Her scholarly work extends to various institutional roles, including membership in the Slovak Academy of Sciences Council (2009-2017) and serving as chair of the Educational Group within the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (2012-2013).











