The Economic History and Ideas Working Group aims to bring together researchers working on economic history in a broad sense. Our purpose is to create a dialogue between historians of all periods and from different backgrounds, as well as scholars form other departments, who are interested in economic issues.
Our main activity consists in the regular gathering of a reading group that discusses classics in economic literature. The discussions combine comments on the text itself, reflections on its importance in the history of economic thought, and its possible relevance for the members’ own research topics. After Karl Marx’s Capital two years ago and several texts of the “Austrian School” from Karl Menger to Joseph Schumpeter last year, this year’s first reading will be John Maynard Keynes’ Economic Consequences of the Peace. The following readings will be defined later accordingly to the members’ wishes and interests.
The group also organises student-run seminars and events with external speakers that enable to discover ongoing research projects in economic history, and provide the members with the opportunity to present their own research to a friendly audience of peers.
Faculty liaison: Giorgio Riello