Gesellschaft für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte and Wirtschaftshistorischer Ausschuss des Vereins für Socialpolitik are pleased to announce the Seventh Congress of Economic and Social History. 

 

We warmly invite submissions for papers and sessions. The conference will consist of an open section and a thematic section devoted to the conference theme. The open section welcomes contributions covering the full range of economic and social history, from Antiquity to the present. We invite papers employing qualitative or quantitative approaches, comparative perspectives, case studies, and methodological reflections, including digital methods and AI-assisted analyses. The open section is intended as a central component of the congress, showcasing the diversity of current research in the field. The thematic section explores profound transformations in global economic structures, ranging from dramatic crises immediately recognized as such to processes whose significance only becomes apparent in retrospect. It focuses on questions such as which historical developments may be regarded as genuine turning points in the global economy and how their consequences can best be identified and assessed. Contributions may address well-known examples such as the Great Depression or the oil crises, as well as the long-term global effects of events including the Black Death, the construction of the Suez Canal, or the Continental System.

 

We invite proposals for individual papers and organized sessions (90 minutes) in English or German. Each submission should include: • Title of the paper  • Abstract (maximum 200 words) • Name(s) and institutional affiliation(s) of the author(s). 

 

Please submit your proposal by 15 October 2026 via:  https://www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/gswg2027. Participation in the congress is free of charge, but registration is required. Please register via the same website by 1 March 2027. A workshop for doctoral researchers in the early stages of their PhD projects will be held as part of the congress. Doctoral candidates from history and economics will have the opportunity to present their research in a supportive environment. Please refer to the separate Call for Papers for further information. The GSWG offers travel grants of €100 for doctoral researchers. Applicants must not have completed their PhD by 30 November 2026. Please apply for the travel grant after your paper has been accepted.

 

Organized by: Gesellschaft für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte (GSWG) and Wirtschaftshistorischer Ausschuss im Verein für Socialpolitik (VfS)

Deadline for proposals: 15 October 2026