‘Ribbons of the “Empire”. Merchant-Capitalism and Labour Commodification in Early Modern Italy’.

You are all invited for the lecture by Andrea Caracausi on March 3rd, 15.30 hrs at the IISH, in the Max Nettlau room. After the lecture we will serve drinks in the vide.

Abstract: From the 16th century onwards, ribbons became fashionable objects in both clothing and home interiors as accessory and symbolic items representing global commodities capable of connecting different regions of the world.

Using this commodity chain as case-study, this lecture will show the multiplicity of ways in which merchant-capitalism asserted itself in the “Empire of Fashion”, combining various degrees of labour coercion, stimulating manufacturing changes and growing exploitation of female and child labour.

Bio: Andrea Caracausi is Associate Professor at the University of Padua and President of the Italian Association of Labour History, SISLav (www.storialavoro.it). He specializes in the social and economic history of Italy and Mediterranean World, with a focus on guilds, women’s work, child labour and legal proceedings. He received a B.A. in History (University of Padua) and a Ph.d. in Economic and Social History (Bocconi University). He has been Adjunct Professor in “Business History” and “Economic History” at the Universities of Bocconi-Milan (2010), Trieste (2011-12), Venice-Ca’ Foscari (2011-12) and Verona (2013). Formerly he was Research Fellow at the Universities of Bocconi, Ca’ Foscari and Padua. He received fellowships and research grants from several institutions as the “Gerda Henkel Foundation” (Düsseldorf), the Royal Society of Edinburgh (UK) and the Université Paris Est-Marne La Vallée (2017). Deputy Director of the Dissgea (since October 2019), he is also Coordinator of the Scientific Committee, Member of the Steering Committee of the Excellence Program “Mobility & Humanities”, Member of the Restricted Department Council (Giunta). He is also Member of the University Quality Control of Research Committee and Member of the Academic Body and the Teaching Committee of the PhD Programme in Historical, Geographical, Anthropological Studies.

He has the Italian National Scientific Qualification as Professor in Early Modern History (2018-2024) and in Economic History (2019-2025).

He has been member of collaborative international research projects and groups as the “Global Collaboratory in the History of Labour Relations, 1500-2000” (International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam: see https://collab.iisg.nl/web/labourrelations);

Recent publications include “Information asymmetries and craft guilds in pre-modern markets: evidence from Italian proto-industry”. in “The Economic History Review” (2017), 70: 397–422; “A reassessment of the role of guild courts in disputes over apprenticeship contracts: A case study from early modern Italy”. Continuity and Change (2017) 32(1), 85-114; “Beaten Children and Women’s Work in Early Modern Italy”. Past and Present (2014), 222 (1): 95-128.

IISH Seminar: This lecture is part of the monthly IISH Seminar series. In principle, seminars take place every first Tuesday of the month. The seminar is open to the public, but with regards to accommodation, we would like you to register:  jacqueline.rutte@bb.huc.knaw.nl.