Research School for Economic and Social History

Category: News

  • Vacancy: Historical Data Specialist for research infrastructure ‘Chains of the Past’ (Radboud University) – deadline 21 June 2026

    Vacancy: Historical Data Specialist for research infrastructure ‘Chains of the Past’ (Radboud University) – deadline 21 June 2026

    The Faculty of Arts of Radboud University is looking for a Historical Data Specialist for the project ‘Chains of the Past’.

    ‘Chains of the Past’ sits at the frontier of digital historical research. By processing thousands of historical handwritten documents, this project builds a data infrastructure that will support future research into the lives of enslaved and free people in the former Dutch colonies. The data specialist will help lay the foundations for this new and innovative research landscape.

    Although the vacancy is primarily aimed at postdoc researchers, because of the specialised nature of this position, qualified candidates without a PhD are also invited to apply. Applications should be submitted ultimately 21 June 2026.

    FULL INFO

  • Posthumus alumnus Rosa Kösters winner Instituut Gak-KNAW Award 2026

    Posthumus alumnus Rosa Kösters winner Instituut Gak-KNAW Award 2026

    On 1 June 2026, Posthumus alumnus Rosa Kösters, postdoc researcher at the Interantional Institute of Social History, was awarded the Instituut Gak-KNAW Award 2026 for her research proposal ‘Van onderen! Sociale zekerheid tussen burgerinitiatief en innovatie, 1960–2025’.

    The Instituut Gak-KNAW Award is annually awarded by the Instituut Gak and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) to talented young researchers, to support their research on topics of social security and the labour market. The award consist of a 3-year appointment as postdoc researcher with one of the KNAW institutes.

    The awarded research proposal focuses on the question how citizens’ participation may contribute to the innovation and resilience of the social security system. The main focus will be on the question: for wat reason(s), in what ways and to which effects have citizens tried to innovate social security between 1906 and 2025. The aweard committee considered Rosa’s research proposal as ‘original and innovative; it includes a systematic analysis regarding important societal issues […] The researcher has shown to have achieved excellent academic reults already, and has shown to have very good communication skills.’

    The N.W. Posthumus Institute congratulates Rosa on this award!

    NEWS ITEM KNAW (IN DUTCH)

  • Successful PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Bram Hilkens

    Successful PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Bram Hilkens

    On 22 May 2026, Posthumus alumnus Bram Hilkens successfully defended the PhD thesis ‘Living off the Land? Land Inequality in Early Modern Holland, 1543–1708’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Supervisors were Dr Daniel R. Curtis (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Professor Angelique Janssens (Radboud University), and Professor Paul van de Laar (Erasmus University Rotterdam).

    The N.W. Posthumus Staff congratualtes Bram with this achievement!

    MORE INFO
     

  • Call for proposals to organise ICRIH Conference in 2028 or 2029

    Call for proposals to organise ICRIH Conference in 2028 or 2029

    The Scientific Committee of the International Conference on Risk and Insurance in History (ICRIH) invites proposals to organise and host the next ICRIH in the summer of 2028 or at the latest 2029.

    The host organising committee will have the benefit of liaising with the Scientific Committee, which will offer active support and advice on the location, timing and structure of the conference, call for papers, recommendations for keynote speakers, evaluating proposals for papers and sessions, adjudicating awards for best papers etc, and seeking funding for the conference. The host organisers will also have the benefit of a dedicated website for the ICRIH, which is being developed by the University of Basel, Switzerland.

    Hosting proposals and/or enquiries should be sent by e-mail to Professor Robin Pearson, Professor Emeritus of Economic History, University of Hull, UK.

    FULL CALL (PDF)

  • Call for sessions WEHC 2028 (Montevideo, Uruguay, 24-28 July 2028) – deadline 14 September 2026

    Call for sessions WEHC 2028 (Montevideo, Uruguay, 24-28 July 2028) – deadline 14 September 2026

    The 21st World Economic History Congress will convene from 24 to 28 July 2028 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The theme of the 2028 edition is ‘World Powers and Conflicts’, which highlights central issues facing humanity today and connects to a broad and diverse range of historical problems, particularly those concerned with resources, inequality, and sustainability.

    Sessions may be proposed by any member of the international economic history community, whatever their institutional affiliation or status, as well as by scholars in related disciplines. Strongly encouraged are pr0oposals from early-career researchers. Sessions can also be proposed by non-national IEHA member organizations. Submissions are welcome on the economic and social histories of all places and periods, and especially regarding the global South.

    Sessions proposals should be submitted ultimately 14 September 2026 via the call’s webpage.

    FULL CALL

  • Vacature: Fellowships voor recent (< 3 jaar) afgestudeerde MA voor onderzoek Koninklijke Nederlandsche Lloyd (Stadsarchief Rotterdam) – deadline 1 juli 2026

    Vacature: Fellowships voor recent (< 3 jaar) afgestudeerde MA voor onderzoek Koninklijke Nederlandsche Lloyd (Stadsarchief Rotterdam) – deadline 1 juli 2026

    ~ becasue of required proficiency in Dutch only ~

    Stadsarchief Rotterdam biedt 2 fellowships aan voor recent (< 3 jaar) afgestudeerde masterstudenten. De fellowships bestaan uit een financiële vergoeding voor 6 maanden, waarbinnen onderzoek wordt gedaan in het archief van de Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd. Dit archief bevindt zich in Stadsarchief Rotterdam. Met de fellowships wil het stadsarchief het historisch onderzoek naar Rotterdamse onderwerpen stimuleren en faciliteren.

    Binnen het thema Rotterdamsche Lloyd heeft het stadsarchief voor de fellowships 3 deelonderwerpen geselecteerd:

    1. De impact van gebeurtenissen op wereldschaal op de Rotterdamsche Lloyd en het leven aan boord
    2. De verhoudingen aan boord van de schepen van de Rotterdamsche Lloyd
    3. De herinneringscultuur rond de Rotterdamsche Lloyd

    Sollicitaties dienen uiterlijk 1 juli 2026 vergezeld van de contactgegevens van minimaal één academische referent per mail ontvangen te zijn. Zie de pdf voor alle vereiste documenten.

    VOLLEDIGE INFO (PDF)

  • NWA funding granted to Research Consortium involving Posthumus fellows for research on knock-on effects of the Dutch slavery past

    NWA funding granted to Research Consortium involving Posthumus fellows for research on knock-on effects of the Dutch slavery past

    The Dutch Research Council (NWO) recently has granted funding to the research project ‘Slavery past present: Dutch slavery and colonialism and their present-day impact’. This research will be carried out by a consortium involving many researchers from a wide range of research institutions, among whom Posthumus fellows Dr Matthias Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge and Dr Coen van Galen, both affiliated with Radboud University.

    The funding has been granted as a result of the call ‘Slavery pasts: (understudied forms of) impacts and perspectives’, part of the Dutch National Research Agenda programme.

    The research project will investigate how Dutch slavery and colonialism’s legacies continue to impact lives today and explores possibilities for redress from the perspectives of descendant and Indigenous communities in and from Suriname, the Dutch Caribbean, South Africa, Indonesia and the Netherlands.

    The N.W. Posthumus Institute congratulates Matthias and Coen and their fellow applicants with this project grant.

    NEWS ITEM NWO

  • Lancering initiatief voor vernieuwd Jaarboek voor de Geschiedenis van Arbeidersbewegingen en Socialisme in Nederland

    Lancering initiatief voor vernieuwd Jaarboek voor de Geschiedenis van Arbeidersbewegingen en Socialisme in Nederland

    ~ because of scope in Dutch only ~

    Op 29 mei vindt de lancering van een initiatief voor een vernieuwd Jaarboek voor de Geschiedenis van Arbeidersbewegingen en Socialisme in Nederland plaats onder de titel ‘‘Aan het werk!’ Nieuwe wegen voor de geschiedenis van arbeidersbewegingen en het socialisme!’

    De initiatiefnemers willen hiermee nieuw leven inblazen in een lange traditie van Nederlandse tijdschriften over arbeidsbewegingen en het socialisme, zoals het Jaarboek voor de geschiedenis van socialisme en arbeidersbeweging in Nederland (1977–1981) en Onvoltooid Verleden (1997–2008).

    Tijdens het evenement wordt het initiatief tot een vernieuwd jaarboek gepresenteerd. Een divers panel gaat in gesprek over de geschiedschrijving over socialisme en arbeid – en de toekomst daarvan. Welke nieuwe vragen dienen zich aan? Waar liggen kansen voor onderzoek en publieksgeschiedenis? En hoe kunnen verschillende perspectieven elkaar versterken? Onderzoekers en erfgoedexperts belichten de levens en acties van werkenden in Nederland en daarbuiten, ieder vanuit hun eigen vakgebied. Zo ontstaat een divers en gelaagd beeld van arbeidersbewegingen en socialisme, waarin uiteenlopende invalshoeken samenkomen. Het gesprek zal worden gemodereerd door Marieke Dwarswaard, onderzoeker bij de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen en redactielid van het jaarboek.

    Deelname is gratis, maar aanmelding vooraf is gewenst.

    MEER INFO

  • Posthumus Conference 2026 (Amsterdam, 21-22 May 2026) – registration has closed

    Posthumus Conference 2026 (Amsterdam, 21-22 May 2026) – registration has closed

    The N.W. Posthumus Institute is happy to welcome you at the Posthumus Conference 2026, to be held on 21 and 22 May 2026 at the International Institute of Social History (IISG/IISH) in Amsterdam.

    This year’s theme will be ‘Global Capitalism’. The conference will be hosted by the IISH team under the guidance of Professor Ulbe Bosma, in cooperation with the N.W. Posthumus Institute.

    Next to paper presentations by Posthumus PhDs and other scholars, we are proud to announce a keynote lecture by Professor Sven Beckert, Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard University.

    The conference will include presentations by both PhD candidates and fellows; also, the PhDs of cohort 2025 will present of their research projects through a poster presentation on the first conference day.

    Please note that as of 18 May, the Posthumus Conference 2026 has reached its full capacity of participants. Registering for the conference is therefore no longer possible. Are you a presenter or designated reviewer and not yet registered? Send us an e-mail.
    CONFERENCE WEBSITE

  • Research Workshop ‘Mortality, Morbidity, and Medicine: Historical Health and Demography across the Atlantic’ – deadline 30 April 2026

    Research Workshop ‘Mortality, Morbidity, and Medicine: Historical Health and Demography across the Atlantic’ – deadline 30 April 2026

    On 8 June 2026, preceding the PhD Defence by Posthumus alumnus Dinos Sevdalakis, Dinos will organise the Research Workshop ‘Research Workshop ‘Mortality, Morbidity, and Medicine: Historical Health and Demography across the Atlantic’ at the Academy Building of the University of Groningen. This workshop is supported by the Research Network ‘Life-Courses, Family, and Labour’ of the N.W. Posthumus Institute and the COST Action Greatleap Network.

    Content

    The historical roots of today’s health outcomes remain poorly understood, yet tracing them is essential to make sense of the world we inhabit. This workshop brings together scholars at the intersection of historical demography and the history of health to examine how mortality, morbidity, and medicine have evolved across Europe, Africa, and the Americas in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By tracing these historical trajectories, the workshop aims to deepen our understanding of how the past continues to define health and healthcare in the present.

    Programme

    09:30-10:00 Opening and introduction
    10:00-11:30 Session 1: Morbidity and mortality, and medicine in historical Europe
    Mayra Murkens (University of Groningen) – Syphilis morbidity and institutionalisation in the Amsterdam hospital 1856-1896
    Adrien Remund (Population Research Centre, University of Groningen) – The young adult excess mortality: a historically universal trait
    Alice Reid (University of Cambridge) – Medical attention at death in nineteenth century rural Scotland
    11:45-13:00 Lunch (Eeterie De Globe, Akerkhof 22, Groningen); only for participants who have registered by 30 April
    13:15-14:45 Session 2: Health(care) and mortality across Africa and South America
    Hilde Bras (University of Groningen) – New African health histories: (E)merging lines
    Björn Quanjer (Radboud University) – The mortality transition in Suriname: Analysing cause-specific mortality, 1903–1949
    Jutta Bolt (University of Groningen) and Jeanne Cilliers (Lund University) – Legacies of colonial maternal health services in Africa

    Participation

    Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is requested. If you want to join the lunch, make sure to register ultimately by 30 April 2026.