This seminar explores how economic and political transformations—such as globalization, technological change, welfare reform, or migration—affect social cohesion. We examine key theoretical perspectives and recent empirical studies to understand the mechanisms through which change influences social cohesion along various dimensions. Students will apply these insights by conducting their own research projects, each focusing on a specific case study of their choice.

While the course does not require advanced skills in statistics or economics, students of history are expected to read and discuss research papers from economics and other social sciences. Students from economics, meanwhile, will engage with methods of historical research and source/data collection. The first part of the seminar (weeks 1–7) is dedicated to discussing methodological and theoretical issues, while the second part (weeks 8–15) is focusing to present historical case studies. Research groups will consist of students from both History and Economics to encourage interdisciplinarity.