Wouter Ryckbosch

Wouter Ryckbosch is a Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), affiliated with the Department of History within the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy. His research focuses on social and economic history, digital humanities, and urban studies, with particular emphasis on the Low Countries' historical dynamics. He leads major projects like the Brussels Centre for Urban Studies (BCUS) and the Living with Capitalism initiative, exploring inequality and urban development from the medieval to modern eras. Ryckbosch’s recent work combines quantitative analysis with digital tools, as seen in studies on wealth mobility and historical document processing using LLMs. He has over 64 publications and contributes to interdisciplinary research networks, emphasizing collaboration across historical disciplines. Despite a notable h-index of 7 and 228 citations, no formal awards are listed. His research bridges past and present, addressing themes like energy use, labor systems, and citizen science in historical contexts.