Dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the specialty 032 — History and Archaeology. — Odesa National University named after I.I. Mechnikov, Odesa, 2026. — A qualifying research paper on manuscript rights.
The dissertation is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the processes of formation of collective and individual identities under conditions of crisis in early modern society, based on the example of the plague of Saint Charles in Venice in 1575–1577.
The relevance of the topic is determined by the growing interest of contemporary historical scholarship in the socio-cultural consequences of epidemics, as well as by the need to reconsider the role of crises as factors shaping social structures and mechanisms of individual and collective self-identification. The study of the plague in Venice makes it possible to interpret the epidemic not only as a demographic or medical catastrophe, but also as a complex social process that affected all levels of urban life.
The object of the research is the socio-cultural dynamics of Venetian society during the plague epidemic of the second half of the sixteenth century, while the subject concerns the mechanisms of formation of collective and individual identities in a situation of crisis. The aim of the study is to identify and analyze transformations in identity models among Venetians under the impact of the epidemic, as well as to determine the role of institutional, medical, economic, and religious practices in these processes.
The dissertation employs a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach combining methods of social history, historical anthropology, and the history of everyday life. The source base includes normative acts, materials of the Venetian health magistracies, correspondence of contemporaries, narrative sources, as well as works of Italian and international scholars. Particular attention is paid to the historiographical analysis, which makes it possible to identify the main approaches to interpreting the plague as a social phenomenon.
The first chapter provides an overview of the source base and historiography, outlines the methodological framework, and defines key concepts, in particular the categories of “collective” and “individual identity”, which are central to the study.
The second chapter focuses on the analysis of social structures in Venice during the epidemic, practices of survival and adaptation, and representations of the plague in the minds of contemporaries. It examines how the epidemic influenced social stratification, behavioral patterns, and the formation of new symbolic interpretations of disease.
The third chapter examines the formation of collective identities among Venetians through the prism of institutional responses, the activities of magistracies, medical practices, economic behavior, and religious forms of solidarity. It demonstrates that the epidemic contributed to the consolidation of society around ideas of discipline, responsibility, and collective survival, while simultaneously intensifying social inequalities.
The fourth chapter is devoted to the analysis of individual identities in the context of the plague crisis. Based on personal histories and case studies, it is argued that individual identity was formed at the intersection of state demands, religious norms, and everyday survival practices. The study shows that the epidemic acted as a catalyst for rethinking the self, reshaping behavioral strategies and social roles.
The research concludes that the plague of Saint Charles in Venice in 1575–1577 not only disrupted established social structures but also became a factor in the profound transformation of identities. The epidemic contributed to the emergence of new models of collective interaction, strengthened the role of the state in regulating social life, and reshaped individual behavioral strategies.
The scientific novelty of the study lies in its comprehensive approach to the analysis of the plague as a socio-cultural phenomenon and in its interpretation as a key factor in the formation of identities. The practical significance of the research consists in the possibility of applying its results in further scholarly studies, as well as in the teaching of courses on early modern history, historical anthropology, and the history of medicine
