Eurizon.eu

Organization: Utrecht University, Faculty of Humanities

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands

Field: Economics

Requirements:

a (research) master's degree in economic and social history, or in economics or another social science with shown interest in (economic and social) history; a theoretical background and a strong interest for relevant theory; an outstanding record of undergraduate and Master's degree work; the ability to work with large datasets.

Abstract:

You will work within the ERC-funded project “United We Stand”. ‘The Dynamics and Consequences of Institutions for Collective Action in Pre-Industrial Europe'.

Description:

You will work within the ERC-funded project “United We Stand”. ‘The Dynamics and Consequences of Institutions for Collective Action in Pre-Industrial Europe'. Europe’s economic development in the centuries leading up to the Industrial Revolution, continues to fascinate scholars. In recent debates, institutionalised forms of collective action have been put forward as a key feature of Europe’s precocious development. The ERC-project "United We Stand" examines that connection between institutions and economic development in detail. It also harks back to the origins of such institutions, teasing out the impact of changing family patterns that emerged in Western Europe in the Late Middle Ages, which are often described as ‘the European Marriage Pattern’. Together with such factors as the absence of a strong state, and a helpful legal framework, the weakening of family relations may have created opportunities for other, non-kin social organisations to emerge, explaining the strength of institutions for collective action in this part of the world. Interactions between economic growth, marriage patterns and collective action institutions will be examined on several levels within this project. A European wide-analysis, using specific indicators for institutional development and demographic patterns, should help clarify our understanding of their temporal and geographical co-evolution. Regulations for several types of collective action institutions will be analysed for Western Europe (the Low Countries and England) and Southern Europe (Italy and Spain) to study the impact of household constitution and marriage patterns on institutional arrangements. Furthermore, the research team looks into the application of such regulations in everyday practices, through the analysis of several case-studies of guilds, commons and beguinages in the Low Countries. The project's emphasis on micro-level behaviour of households and their willingness to co-operate in collective action institutions, and these institutions' impact on economic development, is expected to cast a new light on the determinants of economic growth. Although the data are historically and geographically specific, the long-term perspective is bound to produce results that will be applicable to a much wider range of cases, including contemporary developing countries. For a more detailed job description please continue in the section 'additional information'.
 
We offer a PhD position (1,0 fte) with a one year contract beginning July 2011. After a positive evaluation this contract can be extended to a maximum of two more years (a total of three years maximum). Salary will be rising from € 2.042,- a month (before taxes) during the first year to € 2.492,- a month during the third year on a fulltime basis. We also offer solid benefits. PhD students, also referred to as doctoral candidates, are expected to take courses at the N.W. Posthumus Institute, the research school for social and economic history.

Deadline: 30-04-2011

Contacts:

Link: http://www.uu.nl/

Email: humanitiesjobs.gw@uu.nl

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