Marlous van Waijenburg

Field: Modern Europe
Specialization: Comparative Empire
Minor Field: Economic History
Keywords: Africa, Colonialism, Economic growth, Institutions, Living standards, Education
Advisor: Joel Mokyr
Contact: MarlousVan2015u.northwestern.edu

Marlous van Waijenburg studies comparative economic history and is interested in the historical determinants of long-term economic development outcomes. The main regional focus of her work has been on (colonial) Africa, but she is currently doing comparative work with other parts of the world as well.

Marlous received both her B.A. and M.A. from Utrecht University, and has been a visiting student in the Economics department of Washington University in St. Louis under the supervision of Prof. Douglass C. North. Her M.A. thesis, titled Living Standards in British Africa in a Comparative Perspective, 1880-1945. Is Poverty Destiny?, received the first prize for 'Best Historical M.A. thesis' awarded by the International Institute for Social History and national newspaper 'de Volkskrant' (national contest (the Netherlands), Dec. 2010), and the first prize for 'Best MA thesis in the Humanities' awarded by Utrecht University (Sept. 2010).

Publications

"Structural impediments to African growth? New evidence from real wages in British Africa, 1880-1965." The Journal of Economic History 72, no. 4 (2012): 895-926 (with Ewout Frankema, Forthcoming)