Exploring African Economic History in Gothenburg

For two days more than 100 researchers from across the world are gathered in Gothenburg to present research in the field of African economic history, on a wide range of topics including states and institutions, labour markets, trade, migration and natural resource exploitation.

The conference includes two keynote lectures on African Economic History and Development. The opening keynote speech – Across the Sahara: Toward an Integrated Economic History of Africa – is delivered by Mohamed Saleh, Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Jutta Bolt, Professor of Global Economic History at the University of Groningen, contributes with the closing keynote speech: From Persistence to Transformation: Diversity in African Development Paths.

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The conference is organised by a team of scholars at the Unit for Economic History at the University of Gothenburg, in collaboration with the African Economic History Network.

“The continent of Africa has received much less attention from scholars in the field of economic history than other parts of the world. The African Economic History Network has been instrumental in bringing the continent’s economic past into the spotlight, so I’m very proud that our department can be a host of this conference”, says Klas Rönnbäck, Professor in Economic History at the University of Gothenburg.

“Understanding Africa’s economic past is essential to understanding the continent’s present. Historical institutions, colonialism and patterns of inequality have shaped economic opportunities in ways that continue to matter today. What makes the African Economic History Network’s conference particularly valuable is the opportunity to bring together scholars working on different regions, periods and questions, and to explore how their research can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Africa’s diverse development trajectories,” says Stefania Galli, Associate Professor of Economic History at the University of Gothenburg and co-organiser of the conference.

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