Hilde Bras

Prof. Hilde Bras is the Aletta Jacobs Professor of Economic and Social History at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Arts, specializing in Global Demography and Health. She holds a Master’s in American Studies (1993) and a PhD in Sociology (2002) from Utrecht University. Her research focuses on long-term demographic and health trends in sub-Saharan Africa, gender inequalities, and family systems in historical contexts. She has led projects like the NWO-funded VIDI initiative (2011–2016) on family influences on European fertility decline.

Bras is affiliated with the Global Data Lab (Radboud University), chairs the Social Science History Association’s Nominating Committee, and serves on the boards of the Historical Sample of the Netherlands and the Social Sciences Council. Her work spans journals like Demographic Research and History of the Family, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to demographic history and health equity.

Recent research explores partner preferences in historical Netherlands, colonial Senegal’s infant mortality, and fertility dynamics in West Africa. She actively contributes to policy discussions on population trends and health disparities, leveraging historical data for global development insights.