Venue: University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Odense
Date: Friday 12 March 2027
Keynote speaker: Joyce Burnette, Wabash College
“A History of (Women’s) Work”
Theme: Work, Gender and Economic Development
The Historical Economics and Development Group (HEDG) at SDU invites submissions for the 16th Annual Workshop on Growth, History and Development. All are welcome, but junior faculty and graduate students are particularly encouraged to apply.
Who counts as a worker, and whose work counts? How have technology and social change reshaped the work of women and men?
This year’s workshop explores the history of work and its relationship with economic development, with particular attention to women’s experiences. We welcome papers on paid and unpaid work, labor-force participation, wages, and occupational segregation, as well as the role of technology, institutions, and social norms in shaping opportunities. Historical and contemporary perspectives are encouraged, including new sources and methods that reveal work overlooked in conventional statistics.
Submissions on all topics relating to growth, history, and development are welcome, but those exploring the workshop theme will be prioritized.
Prospective speakers should submit an extended abstract (max. 1000 words), including methodology and main results, to Sophie Yiwen Li (soli@sam.sdu.dk), who is also the contact for inquiries.
Deadline for submissions: 15 January 2027. Notification of acceptance: 22 January 2027. A preliminary program will be announced shortly thereafter.
The workshop is a one-day event. There is a registration fee of 600 DKK (ca. €80). Refreshments, lunch, and dinner are provided.
Joyce Burnette will also deliver the annual Karen Brahe Lecture at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) on Wednesday 10 March 2027, an event focusing on women in history, economy, and society, named after the Danish noblewoman and book collector Karen Brahe (1657–1736).
More information about HEDG: https://www.sdu.dk/hedg
Workshop organizers: Paul Sharp (pauls@sam.sdu.dk) and Sophie Yiwen Li (soli@sam.sdu.dk).