Ewout Frankema

Ewout Frankema is a Professor and Chair of the Economic and Environmental History Group at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. His research explores the long-term comparative economic development of Africa, Latin America, and Asia, with a focus on the historical origins of global inequality, colonial institutions, and contemporary development challenges. He serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Global History and is a research fellow at the UK Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR).

• Studied History, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Groningen, earning a PhD in Economics (2008).
• Teaching experience at Groningen, Utrecht, Wageningen, and guest lectures in Uruguay, Uganda, Benin, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

His research integrates economic history, environmental change, and institutional analysis, examining themes like colonial taxation, land distribution, human capital formation, and commodity trade. Recent work addresses food security, urbanization, and skill premiums in colonial Africa and Asia. He leads the NWO VICI project "South-South Divergence" and has secured major grants, including a VIDI grant (2012) and ERC Starting Grant (2012).

Scientific accolades include the Arthur H. Cole Award (2013) and the AMMODO Science Award (2019). As a co-founder of the African Economic History Network (AEHN), he promotes academic collaboration and open-access resources for African scholars.