David Smith

David Smith is Associate Professor and Chair of History at Wilfrid Laurier University. A Harvard University PhD, he researches British legal and business history with focus on corruption, moral economies, and clandestine trade networks. Current projects include studies of smuggling economies and early modern corruption cases.

Research examines:

• Historical development of market morality
• Constitutional foundations of common law
• Illicit trade networks in early modern Britain
• Business ethics evolution

Authored books include analysis of Sir Edward Coke's legal reforms and forthcoming Oxford University Press study of corruption in early modern England. Leads Dark Markets Observatory reconstructing smuggling prosecutions through archival analysis and data visualization. Research supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grants.