Research School for Economic and Social History

The N.W. Posthumus Institute (NWP), currently hosted by the Department of History & Art History of Utrecht University, is named after Nicolaas Wilhelmus Posthumus (1880-1960), the first professor in economic and social history in the Netherlands.

The NWP promotes innovative and advanced interdisciplinary research in economic and social history by stimulating joint research programmes of participating institutes. To this purpose, the NWP provides a PhD training in economic and social history, as well as a four course-programme for Research Master students. Annually, the N.W. Posthumus Institute also organises its Annual Posthumus Conference.

The NWP is also participating in the European graduate School for Training in Economic and social historical Research (ESTER), a Europe-wide network of leading scholars in the field of social and economic history and as such co-organiser of Research Design Courses and Advanced Seminars within the ESTER programme.

Please check out our contact page for contact details.

News

Call for Proposals to organise 2026 ESEH Summer School in Environmental History – deadline 15 March 2026

The European Society for Environmental History (ESEH) welcomes proposals for organising the 2026 ESEH Summer School in Environmental History. The ESEH ...

Verwacht: Boekpresentatie ter gelegenheid van 100 jaar UHSK

~ because of scope in Dutch only ~ In 2026 viert de Utrechtse Historische Studentenkring (UHSK) het honderdjarig bestaan. Ter gelegenheid hiervan ...

Posthumus Board Member Jutta Bolt receives ERC Consolidator Grant

In December 2025, the European Research Council (ERC) awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant to Jutta Bolt, Professor of Global Economic History at the ...

PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Arnoud Jensen

On 12 February 2026, Posthumus alumnus Arnoud Jensen will defend his PhD thesis ‘Boeren als rentmeesters: Pacht tussen winst, macht en natuur in de ...

RIAS Spring International PhD Seminar 2026 – Call for Papers – deadline 13 February 2026

On 17-19 June 2026, the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies (RIAS) in Middelburg, will organise a seminar for doctoral students pursuing research in ...

Magnifying class highlighting the word research in dictionary, in top right corner picture Tine De Moor

Research Day 2026 organised by IOS Platform ‘Bottom-Up Institutions for Societal Change’ – registration requested

On 19 March 2026, the Platform Bottom-up-initiatives for Societal Change of Utrecht University’s Institutions for Open Societies network will ...

Opening for a Research Network Coordinator ‘Societies in Context: Interactions between humans and rural-urban environments’ – deadline 28 February 2026

The N.W. Posthumus Institute is currently looking for a new Coordinator for the Research Network ‘Societies in Context: Interactions between humans ...

Vacature Senior onderzoeker historische wetenschappen (Fryske Akademy) – deadline 7 februari 2026

~ because of required proficiency in Dutch only ~ De Fryske Akademy is op zoek naar een Senioronderzoeker historische wetenschappen op het gebied van de ...

PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Junhao Cao

On 25 February 2026, Posthumus alumnus Junhao Cao will defend the PhD thesis ‘Property Rights and Agricultural Growth in Northwestern Europe, ...

Wouter Ronsijn ends tasks as Research Network Coordinator

Because of accepting a new position in academia, Wouter Ronsijn had to decide to end his tasks as Research Network Coordinator of the Research Network ...

Jaarcongres Werkgroep ‘De Nieuwe Tijd’ 2026

~ because of scope in Dutch only ~ De werkgroep De Moderne Tijd organiseert op 20 maart 2026 in Amsterdam een jubileumcongres met als thema ‘Feest! ...

Call for abstracts Workshop ‘From Matrimonial Ads to Dating Apps: Unraveling the Partnering Market’ – deadline 15 April 2026

The organisers of the Workshop ‘From Matrimonial Ads to Dating Apps: Unraveling the Partnering Market’ call for paper abstracts for this ...

Call for abstracts Workshop ‘The Environmental History of Mining in Southern Africa, 1870-2020’ – deadline 15 February 2026

Between the 25 and 27 August, the Boom to Dust project (funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the African Studies Centre Leiden) will be hosting a ...

Combined picture of Anne Winter and Bob Pierik

Changes in General Board N.W. Posthumus Institute

Recently, we had some changes within the General Board of the N.W. Posthumus Institute. Professor Anne Winter, previously acting as substitute ...

Jubilee competition Royal Frisian Society for History and Culture (KFG) 2027 – deadline 31 December 2026

In 2027, the Keninklik Frysk Genoatskip foar Skiednis en Kultuer / Royal Frisian Society for History and Culture (KFG) will be 200 years old. One of the ...

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