Economic inequality and migration
Our world is characterised by large disparities in income and wealth, both within and between countries. While some people live in unprecedented affluence, others remain stuck in poverty. Global inequality is not a recent phenomenon, but has deep origins, going back multiple centuries.
Therefore, to understand today’s disparities we must study their emergence in the long run. This not only involves the “rise of the West” in an era of industrialisation, globalisation and imperialism, but also divergence of more recent date, for example between Africa and Asia.
In our research, we seek to understand why some countries have joined the ranks of wealthy nations while others have not (yet). Migration is one way in which people attempt to overcome spatial disparities. Such attempts are often thwarted by restrictive policies, but migrants are also often tolerated, both as skilled ‘expats’ and in subordinated and precarious roles. Migration is often surrounded by alarmist narratives about ‘floods’ or even ‘tsunamis’, but do we really live in an era of unprecedented migration? And to what extend have societies responses to migrants changed over time?
Does a world without poverty exist? - University of the Netherlands
Research themes
Legacies of colonialism and slavery
We examine how colonialism and slavery have contributed to the rise of globalisation, capitalism, inequality, migration, environmental change, unfree labour systems and racialised hierarchies.
Environmental and food crises throughout history
We investigate the historical roots of current environmental crises and analyse the structural factors and actors that hinder moving to more sustainable long-run patterns of economic development.
Roots of health and educational inequalities
Our research combines the long-term analysis of slow-moving societal factors and individual-level elements, comparing countries or regions in different stages of development.
Economic inequality and migration
We seek to understand why some countries have joined the ranks of wealthy nations while others have not (yet) in the context of migration.