Looking at the past to understand the future
SHOC (Social History of Capitalism) is one of the recognized Large Research Groups of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Our core objective is to study the social history of capitalism from a bottom-up point of view. We conceptualize capitalism as a social process that exponentially boosted material production but also generated structural inequalities throughout the medieval, early modern and modern world. We aim to engage with the interactions and negotiations which shaped these outcomes, incorporating non-human, technological, and subaltern perspectives. Considering different contexts across the world allows us to disentangle the relationship between specific social configurations and the effects of capitalist expansion on welfare, social relations, migration and the environment in the long run, from the late middle ages until the 20th century.
Recent news
New article by SHOC member Bas Spliet and Anne E. C. McCants
In a new article in Economic History Review , Centre for Urban History and SHOC researcher Bas Spliet and Anne McCants measure the cost of the early modern consumer revolution.
Bob Pierik joins SHOC!
As of 1 September, Bob Pierik will join VUB and the SHOC research group as an assistant professor of early modern history. Bob's research focuses on the history of everyday life and urban space.
New article by SHOC member Wout Saelens
Smoky, dirty, unhealthy. That is how peat and coal were long perceived in the early modern period. So why did households start bringing them home, just as ideals of cleanliness and health were gaining ground?
Daan Huysman joins SHOC as a TVO student!
From September 2025, Daan Huysman will be part of SHOC as a TVO student. Daan started his studies in History at the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) in 2023.
Upcoming events
Practical info25/09/2025 - 17:00 - 25/09/2025 - 20:00Book launch: The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 829-1240 (by SHOC member John Latham-Sprinkle)
