Adrian Matus defended his PhD in History and Civilization at the European University Institute in February 2022. Previously, he earned two MA degrees, one in History of Ideas at Babeș-Bolyai University and the other in Contemporary History at Université Sorbonne Paris IV. His academic interests focus on creative forms of dissent against the state in the 20th century, archival studies and the comparative history of Eastern and Central Europe. Within his modules at Milestone Institute, he favours history from below approaches, particularly oral history and public history. In the past, Adrian worked as a researcher for Jugend- und Kulturprojekt e.V., an NGO from Dresden, Germany, as a librarian assistant at the European University Institute in Florence, and an assistant archivist at the Open Society Archives in Budapest. From 2020, he is also teaching at the Open Learning Initiative Budapest (OLIve), an inclusive learning initiative for people who have experienced displacement, including asylum seekers and those with refugee status. At OLIve, Adrian has taught social sciences and the secret histories of Budapest. His book, titled “The Long 1968 in Hungary and Romania,” will be published in 2024 with De Gruyter. In his free time, Adrian enjoys gardening, going to the theatre, and travelling.
