Giacomo Benati

"But nobody can be a great economist who is only an economist—and I am even tempted to add that the economist who is only an economist is likely to become a nuisance if not a positive danger." 

F. A. Hayek "The Dilemma of Specialization", Chicago, 1956

I am a Ramon y Cajal (tenure-track) researcher at the Department of Economic History, Institutions, Politics and World Economy and the Research Center on Institutions, Politics and Economics (IPERC) of the University of Barcelona (UB). I teach in the MIPE and ADE programs. I am also one of the founders of the ORIGINS project, and an associate editor for the series Cambridge Elements in Law, Economics and Politics.  

I investigate the early origins of cooperation, markets, inequality, and states through a long-run and interdisciplinary approach that integrates archaeology, ancient history, and economics. My work combines quantitative methods with novel datasets to uncover the mechanisms driving social, economic, and political development across early and precolonial societies. By extending analysis beyond modern and Western contexts, I aim to build a global framework for understanding the evolution of institutions and long-term development.

I have published in top multidisciplinary outlets, and leading journals in archaeology, and economics.