NWO XS Grant awarded to Posthumus fellow Felix Meier zu Selhausen

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded Dr Felix Meier zu Selhausen, Posthumus fellow and alumnus, currently affiliated with the Department of History at Utrecht University, an XS Grant for the project ‘Colonial Origins of African Population Growth? Evidence from Missionary Church Registers in Tanzania’.

The scale and rapidity of Africa’s population growth is unprecedented in recorded history. Yet, the long-term development and causes of Africa’s mortality and fertility change remain poorly understood due to the lack of longitudinal individual-level data during the colonial era (c. 1890-1960). Felix’s project will collect unexplored historical church registers of the earliest ten Lutheran mission stations in Tanzania to reconstruct and examine child mortality and fertility change under colonial rule. This will significantly improve the understanding of the historical origins of African population growth and shed new light on when and why health improved in the world’s poorest region.

The N.W. Posthumus Institute staff congratulates Felix wit this award!