Posthumus Conference 2026 - counting down to 21 May! |
| We are looking forward to welcoming you at the Posthumus Conference 2026 on 21-22 May 2026 at the IISH! Until now, over 125 participants have already registered, but registration for the Posthumus Conference 2026 is still open! The keynote lecture on the conference theme 'Global Capitalism' will be delivered by Professor Sven Beckert, Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard University. The detailed overview of all presentations is available now on the conference website. Next to paper presentations by both Posthumus PhDs and Posthumus fellows, on the first day there will be a poster presentation by the members of PhD cohort 2025. Feel free to join, but please do register to participate! |
|
Posthumus Summer School 'Crises and History' (Utrecht, 6-10 July 2026) - deadline registration 1 June 2026 |
After two successful previous editions, the N.W. Posthumus Institute will once more offer the Posthumus Summer School on ‘Crises and History’ on 6-10 July 2026. Dr Jessica Dijkman, associate professor at Utrecht University and Scientific Director of the N.W. Posthumus Institute, will deliver this Summer School, which aims to help students acquire the knowledge and skills to develop their own research ideas on this theme and select and use the methods and sources to carry out the research. Participation is free of charge, participants should register ultimately by 1 June 2026.
|
|
|
|
ESTER RDC 2026 to be held at KU Leuven (26-28 October 2026) - deadline abstracts 15 June 2026 |
On 26 to 28 October 2026 the 2026 edition of the ESTER Research Design Course (RDC) will be held. This year’s edition will be hosted by the KU Leuven under the guidance of Maïka De Keyzer. The N.W. Posthumus Institute (as secretariat of the ESTER Network) and the local organisers of KU Leuven welcome abstracts for this RDC. The RDC assists candidates in setting up a high quality and well-designed plan for their dissertation under the guidance of a team of senior researchers and research design specialists whose task it is to provide comments and feedback. Candidates wishing to participate are requested to send in their application and abstract no later than 15 June 2026.
|
|
|
|
Valedictory lecture Professor Jan Kok |
| On 25 June 2026, Jan Kok, Professor of Economical, Social and Demographic History at the Faculty of Arts, Radboud University, and longstanding member of the N.W. Posthumus Institute, will deliver a valedictory lecture (in Dutch), titled ‘Homo Dipisiensis: Over de historische demografie van ontheemden’. The lecture can be attend in-person, in that case pre-registration is requested. The lecture will also be streamed online via the live stream of Radboud University. The N.W. Posthumus Institute is very grateful to all the efforts Jan made over the year for the N.W. Posthumus Institute. |
|
|
|
Masterclass ‘Social Histories of Dutch Colonialism in the Indian Ocean World’ with Professor Nigel Worden (Nijmegen, 24 June 2026) |
| On 24 June 2026, the research groups ‘Colonial Relations and Structures’ and the ‘Radboud Group for Historical Demography and Family History’ (both Radboud Institute for Culture and History), in cooperation with the N.W. Posthumus Institute, organise the masterclass Masterclass ‘Social Histories of Dutch Colonialism in the Indian Ocean World’. Keynote speaker at this masterclass will be Emeritus Professor Nigel Worden (University of Cape Town). The aim of the workshop is to bring together Dutch junior and senior researchers working on social histories of VOC territories in the Indian Ocean World. Also, Dr Kate Ekama (Stellenbosch University) will present her new ‘Project 1834’ during the break of this lunch seminar. |
|
|
|
Public Lecture ‘Project 1834' by Dr Kate Ekama (Nijmegen, 24 June 2026) |
On 24 June 2026, Dr Kate Ekama (Stellenbosch University) will deliver a public lecture on the brand-new ‘Project 1834’, which relates to Stellenbosch University’s broader transformation policy and efforts toward research, restitution, and social justice. Dr Kate Ekama is a Senior Researcher at Stellenbosch University and the Laboratory for the Economics of Africa’s Past (LEAP). The lecture is delivered as part of the Masterclass ‘Social Histories of Dutch Colonialism in the Indian Ocean World’ held on the same day and organised by the research groups ‘Colonial Relations and Structures’ and the ‘Radboud Group for Historical Demography and Family History’ (both Radboud Institute for Culture and History), in cooperation with the N.W. Posthumus Institute,.
|
|
|
|
MarxismNL Conference 2026 'Pulling the Emergency Break' (Amsterdam, 8-9 October 2026) - deadline proposals 29 May 2026 |
| On 8-9 October 2026, MarxismNL, a network of Marxist students, researchers, and teachers active in the Netherlandst, promoting both academic and non-academic events such as public lectures, societal and political debates, reading groups, book launches by members or affiliated groups, will organise its first MarxismNL Conference. The theme of this first conference, supported by the Posthumus Research Network 'Globalisation, Inequality, and Sustainability in Long-Term Perspective' will be 'Pulling the Emergency Break'. The organisers welcome proposals for papers as well as panel ideas. Proposals and ideas can be submitted in English or Dutch, ultimately by 29 May 2026. |
|
|
|
News about Posthumus affiliates |
NWA funding 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’, a project carried out by a consortium involving many researchers among whom Posthumus fellows Dr Matthias Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge and Dr Coen van Galen (both 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 funding. |
|
|
|
Book presentation Posthumus fellow Yuliya Hilevych and public lecture Posthumus fellow Tim Riswick at Annual ESDH meeting (Groningen, 27 May 2026) |
| On 27 May 2026, the 2026 Annual Economic, Social, Demographic, and Health (ESDH) Histories meeting will be hosted by the Intersecting Inequalities Research Group of the Research Centre for Historical Studies (CHS) of the University of Groningen. The 2026 meeting will include a public lecture as well as a book launch. The public lecture, titled 'Comparing Inequalities in Death: What Individual-Level Historical Cause-of-Death Data Reveal' will be delivered by Posthumus fellow Dr Tim Riswick (Radboud University). A this meeting, also the new book 'Low Fertilities in the Past and Present: Studies in Compositional Demography', published open-access by Routledge, edited by Posthumus fellow Dr Yuliya Hilevych (University of Groningen) and Posthumus fellow) and Dr Philip Kreager (Senior Research Fellow in Human Sciences at Somerville College, University of Oxford) will be launched. In addition to presentations by the authors, there will be a presentation by Posthumus board member Professor Hilde Bras (University of Groningen), author of one of the chapters. |
|
|
|
Book launch Posthumus fellow Daniel R. Curtis (Antwerp, 28 May 2026) |
| On 28 May 2026, the Antwerp Centre for Urban History and the EPIBEL-project jointly host the book launch of the new open access-book Epidemic 'Disease and Society in the Premodern Low Countries. Inequality & Community', authored by Posthumus fellow Dr Daniel R. Curtis and published by Routledge. In this book, evidence from a long-run history of epidemic-society interaction in the Low Countries shows that most recurring outbreaks were accommodated by communities, and most reactions, responses, and changes seen were the product of frequent and incremental adaptations, sometimes in periods outside of epidemic. Attendance is free of charge, but prior reservation is requested. |
|
|
|
Boekpresentatie Posthumus fellow Alberto Feenstra (Amsterdam, 28 mei 2026) |
~ announcement only available in Dutch ~ Op 28 mei 2026 zal de presentatie plaatsvinden van het onlangs verschenen boek 'Frontiers of Finance: The Political Economy of Public Debt in the Dutch Republic' (Brill, 2025) van de hand van Alberto Feenstra, bestuurslid van de Stichting Geschiedenis van de Overheidsfinanciën (SGvdO) en tevens fellow van het N.W. Posthumus Instituut. Deze publicatie spitst zich toe op de schuldenproblematiek van Holland, Friesland, Groningen en Zeeland in de achttiende eeuw. Dit boek stelt de voordelen ter discussie die de Hollandse financiële revolutie had voor de rest van de Republiek en betoogt dat de federale structuur de verspreiding van mogelijk positieve effecten belemmerde en het belang van juist lokale omstandigheden in stand hield. Tijdens de bijeenkomst zullen Maarten Prak, Sabine Go, Yannis Skalli-Housseini, Victor Enthoven en Eduard Dormans het boek kort becommentariëren, gevolgd door een discussie. De bijeenkomst is gratis toegankelijk, maar vooraf reserveren is gewenst.
|
|
|
|
Voorjaarsbijeenkomst Stichting Bedrijfsgeschiedenis met thema 'Familiebedrijven' (Utrecht, 29 mei 2026) |
| ~ because of scope in Dutch only ~ Op 29 mei 2026 organiseert de Stichting Bedrijfsgeschiedenis (SBG) de SBG Voorjaarsbijeenkomst. Deze bijeenkomst staat dit jaar helemaal in het teken van familiebedrijven. Sprekers zijn onder meer twee recent gepromoveerde onderzoekers: Heleen Louwerse (proefschrift ‘Het werk van bakkersvrouwen in de twintigste eeuw‘) laat zien welke belangrijke, vaak onzichtbare rol vrouwen hebben gespeeld in familiebedrijven. Posthumus alumnus Ewout Hasken (proefschrift ‘From rags to riches: Changing perceptions of family business in the Netherlands, 1945-2019’) vertelt hoe het beeld van familiebedrijven door de jaren heen is veranderd. Daarnaast zal Albert Jan Thomassen van FamilieBedrijven Nederland een actuele kijk bieden en de historische inzichten aan de praktijk van vandaag koppelen. Deelname is gratis, maar aanmelding vooraf is gewenst. |
|
|
|
Lancering initiatief voor een vernieuwd Jaarboek voor de Geschiedenis van Arbeidersbewegingen en Socialisme in Nederland (Amsterdam, 29 mei 2026) |
~ because of scope in Dutch only ~ Op 29 mei vindt bij het IISG in Amsterdam de lancering van een initiatief plaats 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, onder wie enkele Posthumus-leden, 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 en vindt een paneldiscussie plaats over de geschiedschrijving over socialisme en arbeid – en de toekomst daarvan. Deelname is gratis, maar aanmelding vooraf is gewenst.
|
|
|
|
Prof. F. de Vries-lecture 2026 delivered by Nobel laureate Joel Mokyr (Amsterdam, 13 May 2026) - registration required |
| On 13 May 2026, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), together with the Foundation Prof. F. de Vries, jointly organise the Prof. F. de Vries-lecture. This year, the lecture, titled 'The market for ideas: then and now', will be delivered by Professor Joel Mokyr, Nobel laureate in Economics 2025. In his lecture, Professor Mokyr will describe the development of the supply and demand of ideas, from the very start of the Republic of Letters in the fifteenth century, via the Industrial Revolution, right until the current day. The lecture will be followed by a public discussion, where Jutta Bolt, Professor in Global Economic History at the University of Groningen and board member of the N.W. Posthumus Institute, and Maxim Februari, Dutch novelist, legal philosopher, and columnist will act as referents. Those interested to attend should register soon with the KNAW given the limited seating and shown interest. |
|
|
|
Student Competition: Nobel laureate Paul Krugman in Conversation with the Next Gen on Global Challenges and Local Solutions (Amsterdam, 3 June 2026) – deadline 25 May, 5 pm CET |
| The Dutch Central Bank (DNB), in collaboration with Universiteit van Nederland, SSH-raad, EHERO-EUR, and The Regional Science Academy invites university students from across the Netherlands to submit innovative ideas on critical economic and political issues. Three student finalists will be selected to present their ideas during a high-key event on 3 June 2026, featuring a keynote speech by Paul Krugman (Nobel laureate and renowned economist), followed by an interactive roundtable, featuring, amongst others, Bas ter Weel (DNB Board Member). Proposals (max. 500 words in total) should be submitted ultimately by 25 May 2026 at 17:00 (Amsterdam Time). |
|
|
|
Bijeenkomsten Werkgroep Stadsgeschiedenis (Leiden, 4 juni & Roermond, 12 juni 2026) |
| ~ because of scope in Dutch only ~ De Werkgroep Stadsgeschiedenis organiseert in juni twee bijeenkomsten. Op donderdag 4 juni 2026 is er van 9:30 tot 12:30 uur in Leiden een bijeenkomst over ‘Nieuw onderzoek naar stadswording in de middeleeuwen en vroegmoderne tijd’. Op vrijdag 12 juni 2026 vindt er vanaf 10:30 uur een stadswandeling plaats in Roermond, om 13:00 uur gevplgd door voordrachten over het thema ‘Stadswording in Limburg en het Overkwartier van Gelre: 1000 jaar steden- en huizenbouw’. |
|
|
|
Call for papers 2026 Special Issue Journal for the History of Environment and Society – deadline 31 August 2026 |
The editorial board of the Journal for the History of Environment and Society (JHES), among whom a large number of Posthumus fellows, invites submissions for its 2026 Special Issue, dedicated to exploring the role of the Low Countries as both a place and an actor in global environmental history. Welcomed are contributions that illuminate how local environments, knowledge, institutions, ecologies, and material flows in the Low Countries were shaped by — and in turn shaped — distant environments around the globe. Papers should be in English, have a length of 8,000–10,000 words, and will be double-blind peer reviewed. Papers should be submitted ultimately by 31 August 2026.
|
|
|
|
Call for sessions proposals WEHC 2028 Conference (Montevideo, Urugay, 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. Sessions proposals should be submitted ultimately 14 September 2026 via the call's webpage. |
|
|
|
PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Bram Hilkens (Erasmus University Rotterdam, 22 May 2026) |
On 22 May 2026, Posthumus alumnus Bram Hilkens will defend the PhD thesis ‘Living off the Land? Land Inequality in Early Modern Holland, 1543–1708’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Supervisors are 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 Institute wishes Bram a successful defence!
|
|
|
|
PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Dinos Sevdalakis (University of Groningen, 8 June 2026) |
On 8 June 2026, Posthumus alumnus Dinos Sevdalakis will defend the thesis 'Tracing the roots of population growth: Fertility and mortality transitions in West Africa (1880-1980)' at the University of Groningen. Supervisors are Professor Hilde Bras and Dr Adrien Remund (both University of Groningen). The N.W. Posthumus Institute wishes Dinos a successful defence!
|
|
|
|
Posthumus Conference 2026 (Amsterdam, 21-22 May 2026) – registration open now
Call for papers Conference ‘Growing Humanities: Flourishing Futures in Challenging Times’ (Royal Historical Society, London, UK, 29 June 2026) – deadline 15 May 2026
Student Competition: Nobel laureate Paul Krugman in Conversation with the Next Gen on Global Challenges and Local Solutions (Amsterdam, 3 June 2026) – deadline 25 May, 5 pm CET
Call for papers and panels MarxismNL Conference 2026 'Pulling the Emergency Break' (Amsterdam, 8-9 October 2026) – deadline proposals 29 May 2026
Posthumus Summer School 2026 ‘Crises and History’ – deadline registration 1 June 2026
Call for abstracts ESTER RDC 2026 (KU Leuven, Belgium, 24-28 October 2026) – deadline abstracts 15 June 2026
Call for papers 2026 Special Issue Journal for the History of Environment and Society – deadline 31 August 2026
Call for sessions proposals WEHC 2028 Conference (Montevideo, Urugay, 24-28 July 2028) – deadline 14 September 2026
Jubilee competition Royal Frisian Society for History and Culture (KFG) 2027 – deadline 31 December 2026 |
Already following us on Mastodon? |
As of 1 March 2024, the N.W. Posthumus Institute has started using Mastodon as social medium, following the decision to stop using X, formerly known as Twitter, actively for new announcements, as a result of the current developments surrounding the X platform. Do sign up with Mastodon and follow our account to keep updated frequently with new items and developments. Join us on Mastodon!
|
|
|
|
Credits images: Picture Posthumus Conference item: The Bosses of the Senate, cartoon by Joseph Keppler, first published in the magazine Puck on 23 January 1889. Public Domain. Photo Joel Mokyr: made by Clement Norin |
You will receive this newsletter because you are a student, fellow, or affiliate of the N.W. Posthumus Institute, or because you signed up for this newsletter. This newsletter is sent to you via the mailing system of Utrecht University. Not yet signed up yourself, because you received this via another way ? Sign up via this link! |
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
