PhD position Financial Economics of Slavery

Job description

The position is within the NWO-funded project “Collateral damage: The financial economics of slavery”. This project aims to understand an underexposed aspect of slavery: the financial economics involved. Did the availability of finance, and the use of enslaved people as collateral, stimulate the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the use of slave labor on plantations? Did finance have long-term consequences for the enslaved people and their freed descendants? The project will apply advanced empirical methods (e.g. structural estimation) in finance and economics to study these questions in the context of Surinam and the adjoining colonies of Demerara and Essequibo in the 18th and 19th centuries. New data will be collected and combined with existing databases to provide new insights into how financial systems affected slavery and the lives of enslaved people. The aim is to contribute to societal debates about the causes, immediate effects, and long-term consequences of slavery.

The PhD position is embedded in the research programme Economics, Econometrics and Finance of FEB’s Research Institute. The project will be supervised by Abe de Jong, in cooperation with Tim Kooijmans (RMIT) and Peter Koudijs (NYU).

Organisation

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Belonging to the best research universities of Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.

The Faculty of Economics and Business offers an inspiring study and working environment for students and employees. International accreditation enables the Faculty to assess performance against the highest international standards. It also creates an exciting environment of continuous improvement. FEB's programmes, academic staff and research do well on various excellence ranking lists.

FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has a PhD position “Financial Economics of Slavery” available.

Qualifications

The minimum requirements for the PhD candidates are to have a background (MSc, MA, Research Master) in Finance, Economics and/or Economic History, and a command of English (fluent) and Dutch (basic).

We require candidates to have strong quantitative skills and aim to find students with a demonstrated affinity with colonial history. The ideal candidate (i) is ambitious, highly motivated and wishes to make a career in research, (ii) wants to contribute to academic research and the societal debate on trans-Atlantic slavery, and (iii) has a background in economic history and experience with 18th/19th century archival sources.

Organisation

Conditions of employment

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

• A gross monthly salary from a minimum of € 2,872, which increases yearly to a maximum of € 3,670 based on a full-time position.
• An additional 8% holiday allowance each year in May, and an additional 8.3 % end of year bonus in December.
• A temporary full-time appointment for a period of four years, under the condition of a positive assessment at the end of the first year. PhD candidates usually contribute 20% of their time to teaching in years 2-4.

Starting date: preferably 1 September 2025 (other starting dates in 2025 can be discussed).