Economic History of the Middle East: A long-term perspective

The seminar deals with the historical evolution of the Middle Eastern agriculture, trade, industry and economic institutions in the context of long-term global divergence. It addresses some key issues and questions in the economic history of the region: What do quantitative indicators tell us about the Middle Eastern countries’ economic performance in the second millennium? Does the Middle East have a unique economic growth and development path? What is ‘decline’ paradigm and can it be right? What was the role of the State, Islam and oil in shaping the region’s economic trajectory in the long-term? A primary objective is to understand and explain the development patterns of Middle Eastern economies since the early modern era.