III

Economy and Society

The third research cluster of the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) brings together projects that move beyond the traditional boundaries of political history, extending into the study of major economic and social phenomena and their complex interrelations. Within the field of economic history, research focuses on topics such as production, processing, and the circulation of goods; the history of enterprises; the production and circulation of coinage on both local and international scales—particularly in the Greco-Roman world; economies of varying scale; and issues of economic thought and ideology. In the social sphere, research examines social groups, classes, and structures; phenomena of social inequality; and patterns of everyday social behavior. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of social identities and behaviors through prosopographical analysis. In addition, several thematic directions address economy and society in an integrated manner, employing modern methodological tools such as network theory and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Within this framework fall studies of commercial, economic, and related networks from antiquity to the present, as well as the investigation of economically driven phenomena with strong social dimensions, such as famine and food shortages.