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 publication by SHOC member Bart Lambert and Joshua Ravenhill
Want to know why 'Fleming' was considered an insult in late medieval England and 'Dutchman' was not? Bart Lambert and Josh Ravenhill published an article about nationality-related slurs in 15th-century London in the Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte.
New article by SHOC member Adam Hall
How did medieval rulers and merchants use taxes and reprisals to signal resolve in trade disputes? This new article by SHOC memner Adam Hall explores conflicts involving foreign merchants in Bruges, offering insights into brinkmanship and diplomacy.
New article by SHOC member Bart Lambert and Louis Sicking
Trade wars are not just a modern phenomenon. In their new article in Continuity & Change, Bart Lambert and Louis Sicking show how, between 1384 and 1430, the counts of Holland and Zeeland tried to lure merchants away from neighbouring Flanders.
SHOC member Bart Lambert on genetic diversity and DNA in Sint-Truiden
More on genetic diversity and the plague in medieval Sint-Truiden, including commentary by Bart Lambert, in De Standaard ! https://www.standaard.be/.../vlaams-dna-was.../67847129.html
Upcoming events
Practical info-SHOC member Dennis De Vriese @ Nerdland Festival
On 9 June 2025, SHOC member Dennis De Vriese presents at the Nerdland Festival, the largest science communication festival in the Benelux.
Practical info-SHOC seminar with Giulio Ongaro (University of Milano-Bicocca) and Matteo Di Tullio (University of Pavia)
"Unequal mountains? Political inclusion, commons and local finances in central-northern Italy during the early modern period"
Abstract
