Arnaud Orain

Arnaud Orain is a Director of Studies at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), where he holds a senior faculty position equivalent to full professor. He is affiliated with the Center for Historical Research (CRH) and co-leads two prominent research groups: the Study Group on Modern Historiographies (GEHM) and the Economic History Group (GrHEco). His academic work bridges economic history, history of economic thought, and historiography, with particular focus on the development of economic systems from the 17th through 21st centuries.

Orain's research interests center on the historical evolution of economic thought, mercantilism, political economy, and the relationship between economic systems and historical temporality. His work demonstrates a consistent engagement with how economic ideas develop within specific historical contexts and how historical perspectives can inform contemporary economic thinking. He has published extensively on early modern economic thought, including studies of Condillac, Law's System, physiocracy, and the intellectual foundations of political economy during the Enlightenment.

His recent publications reveal a growing interest in the ecological dimensions of economic history and the relationship between economic systems and environmental concerns, as evidenced by works like 'The Lost Knowledge of Economics: Contribution to the Balance of Life' (2023) and 'The Sympoietic Economy' (2024). Orain's scholarship consistently demonstrates methodological innovation, combining archival research with conceptual analysis to produce nuanced understandings of historical economic phenomena.

Orain has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing the significance of his contributions to economic history, including the European Society for the History of Economic Thought's Best Book award in 2019 and the Association française de sciences économiques' Accessit in 2024. His fellowship appointments at institutions like Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study underscore the international recognition of his work.

As an active public intellectual, Orain regularly contributes to media discussions about economic history through appearances on France Culture and articles in publications like L'Histoire. His teaching for 2025-2026 includes courses on 'Archives of the economy,' 'History of mercantilist knowledge and practices,' 'Modern historiographies,' and 'Thinking about the economy,' reflecting his broad engagement with historical economic thought and methodology.