Research by topic
by Jacob Weisdorf (and collaborators)
by Jacob Weisdorf (and collaborators)
Topical overview of publications (WP versions usually non-gated)
Economic development and technological progress
Leonardo Ridolfi, Carla Salvo, and Jacob Weisdorf (2022), "The impact of mechanisation on labour: Evidence from the diffusion of steam power," CAGE Working Paper No 689 [PDF]
Sandra de Pleijt, Alessandro Nuvolari, and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Human Capital Formation During the First Industrial Revolution: Evidence from the Use of Steam Engines,’ Journal of the European Economic Association 18, pp. 829–889 [PDF] [WP] (Mentioned on the Vox blog.)
Economic development described by real wages
Jane Humphries and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Unreal Wages? Real Income and Economic Growth in England, 1260-1850’, Economic Journal 129, pp. 2867–2887 [PDF] [WP] [Data] (Winner of the Royal Economic Society Prize for best paper published in the Economic Journal in 2019. Discussed on the Economic History Podcast and Snopes)
Jane Humphries and Jacob Weisdorf (2015), ‘The Wages of Women in England, 1260-1850’, Journal of Economic History 75, pp. 405-447 [PDF] [WP] (Discussed on the Economic History Podcast)
Bob Allen and Jacob Weisdorf (2011), ‘Was there an ‘Industrious Revolution’ before the Industrial Revolution?,’ Economic History Review 64, pp. 715–729 (lead article) [PDF] [WP]
Mauro Rota and Jacob Weisdorf (2020), ‘Italy and the Little Divergence in Wages and Prices: New Data, New Results’, Journal of Economic History 80, pp. 931-960 (lead article) [PDF] [WP]
Mauro Rota and Jacob Weisdorf (2021), ‘Italy and the Little Divergence in Wages and Prices: Evidence from Stable Employment in Rural Areas, 1500-1850’, Economic History Review 74, pp. 449-470 [PDF] [WP]
Sara Horrell, Jane Humphries, and Jacob Weisdorf (2022), ‘Beyond the Male Breadwinner: Life-Cycle Living Standards of Intact and Disrupted English Working Families, 1260-1850 ,' Economic History Review 75, pp. 530-560 [PDF] [WP] (Discussed on the Economic History Podcast and mentioned on the Long Run Blog.)
Sara Horrell, Jane Humphries, and Jacob Weisdorf (2021), ‘Family standards of living over the long run, England 1280-1850’, Past & Present 250, pp. 87-134 [PDF] [WP] (Mentioned in The Times on 13 March 2021.)
Sara Horrell, Jane Humphries, and Jacob Weisdorf (2024), ‘Forgotten Family: The Influence of Women and Children in the Economic-Demographic Nexus ,' Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies 54, pp. 529-588 [PDF] [WP]
Paul Sharp and Jacob Weisdorf (2012), ‘French Revolution or Industrial Revolution? A Note on the Contrasting Experiences of England and France up to 1800,’ Cliometrica 6, pp. 79-88 [PDF] [WP]
Economic development and human capital formation
Sandra de Pleijt, Alessandro Nuvolari, and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Human Capital Formation During the First Industrial Revolution: Evidence from the Use of Steam Engines,’ Journal of the European Economic Association 18, pp. 829–889 [PDF] [WP] (Mentioned on the Vox blog.)
Marc Klemp and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Fecundity, Fertility, and the Formation of Human Capital’, Economic Journal 129, pp. 925–960 [open access: PDF]
Carlo Ciccarelli and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Pioneering into the Past: Regional Literacy Developments in Italy before Italy’, European Review of Economic History 23, pp. 329–364 [PDF] [DP]
Sandra de Pleijt and Jacob Weisdorf (2016), ‘Human Capital Formation from Occupations: The ‘Deskilling Hypothesis’ Revisited’, Cliometrica 11, pp. 1-30 (lead article) [PDF] [WP]
Economic development and demography
David de la Croix, Eric Schneider, and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Childlessness, Celibacy, and Net Fertility in Pre-Industrial England: the Middle Class Evolutionary Advantage’, Journal of Economic Growth 24, pp. 223–256 (lead article) [PDF] [WP]
Sara Horrell, Jane Humphries, and Jacob Weisdorf (2020), ‘Malthus’ Missing Women and Children: Demography and Wages in Historical Perspective, England 1280-1850,’ European Economic Review 129, pp. 103534 [PDF] [WP]
Marc Klemp and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Fecundity, Fertility, and the Formation of Human Capital’, Economic Journal 129, pp. 925–960 [open access: PDF]
Francesco Cinnirella, Marc Klemp, and Jacob Weisdorf (2017), ‘Malthus in the Bedroom: Birth Spacing as Birth Control in Pre-Transition England’, Demography 54, pp. 413-436 (lead article) [open access: PDF]
Francesco Cinnirella, Marc Klemp, and Jacob Weisdorf (2019), ‘Further Evidence of Within-Marriage Fertility Control in Pre-Industrial England’, Demography 56, pp. 1557–1572 [PDF] [WP]
Sara Horrell, Jane Humphries, and Jacob Weisdorf (2021), ‘Beyond the Male Breadwinner: Life-Cycle Living Standards of Intact and Disrupted English Working Families, 1260-1850 ,' Economic History Review 75, pp. 530-560 [PDF] [WP] (Discussed on the Economic History Podcast and mentioned on the Long Run Blog.)
Nina Boberg-Fazlic; Paul Sharp; and Jacob Weisdorf (2011), ‘Survival of the Richest? Patterns of Fertility and Social Mobility in England,’ European Review of Economic History 15, pp. 365-392 (lead article) [PDF] [WP] (Winner of the Figuerola Prize for the best paper published in the European Review of Economic History 2011-12.)
Paul Sharp and Jacob Weisdorf (2009), ‘From Preventive to Permissive Checks: The Changing Nature of the Malthusian Relationship Between Nuptiality and the Price of Provisions in the Nineteenth Century,’ Cliometrica 3, pp. 55-70 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2004), ‘From Stagnation to Growth: Revisiting Three Historical Regimes.’ Journal of Population Economics 17, pp. 455-472 [PDF] [1*]
Ricardo Guzman and Jacob Weisdorf (2010), ‘Product Variety and the Demand for Children,’ Economics Letters 107, pp. 74-76 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2008), ‘Malthus Revisited: Fertility Decision Making based on Quasi-Linear Preferences,’ Economics Letters 99, pp. 127-130 [PDF] [WP]
Marc Klemp and Jacob Weisdorf (2012), ‘The Lasting Damage to Mortality of Early-Life Adversity: Evidence from England’s Famine of the Late 1720’s,’ European Review of Economic History 16, pp. 233-246 (Editors’ choice) [PDF] [WP]
Marc Klemp; Chris Minns; Patrick Wallis; and Jacob Weisdorf (2013), ‘Picking Winners? The Effect of Birth Order and Migration on Parental Human Capital Investments in Pre-Modern England,’ European Review of Economic History 17, pp. 210-232 [PDF] [WP]
Shane Doyle, Felix Meier zu Selhausen and Jacob Weisdorf (2020), ‘The Blessing of Medicine? Patient Characteristics and Health Outcomes in a Ugandan Mission Hospital, 1908-1970,’ Social History of Medicine 33, pp. 946–980 [PDF] [WP]
Felix Meier zu Selhausen and Jacob Weisdorf (2016), ‘Mission: possible. What church records can tell us about non-Western societies’ demographic past’, in Upside and down and inside out. The future of historical demography. Matthijs, K., Hin, S., Kok., J., and Matsuo, H. (eds.). Leuven: Acco. [PDF]
Jacob Weisdorf (2022), ‘Church Book Registry: A Cliometric View,’ in Handbook of Cliometrics. Diebolt, C., and M. Haupert (eds.), Springer, 155-174 [PDF] [WP]
Unified growth theory and Malthusian traps
Holger Strulik and Jacob Weisdorf (2008), ‘Population, Food and Knowledge: A Simple Unified Growth Theory,’ Journal of Economic Growth 13, pp. 195-216 [PDF] [DP] [WP]
Holger Strulik; Paul Sharp; and Jacob Weisdorf (2012), ‘The determinants of Income in a Malthusian Equilibrium,’ Journal of Development Economics 97, pp. 112-117 [PDF] [WP]
Holger Strulik and Jacob Weisdorf (2014), ‘How child costs and survival shaped the industrial revolution and the demographic transition,’ Macroeconomic Dynamics 18, pp. 114-144 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2006), ‘From Domestic Manufacture to Industrial Revolution: Long-Run Growth and Agricultural Development,’ Oxford Economic Papers 58, pp. 264-287 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2004), ‘From Stagnation to Growth: Revisiting Three Historical Regimes.’ Journal of Population Economics 17, pp. 455-472 [PDF]
Paul Sharp and Jacob Weisdorf (2009), ‘A Malthusian model for all seasons’, Economics Bulletin 29, pp. 769-774 [PDF]
Jacob Weisdorf (2011), ‘Malthusian Progress’, PhD Dissertation (Economic History), 1400-4860 Lund Studies in Economic History 56, University of Lund, Sweden (ISBN 978-91-7473-200-9)
Jacob Weisdorf (2004), ‘On the Road to Riches: Aspects of Economic and Demographic Growth from the Stone Age and Beyond’, PhD Dissertation (Economics), Red Series Publication No 104, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Economic development in Africa
Felix Meier zu Selhausen and Jacob Weisdorf (2023), "Colonial Influences and African Women's Segregation: Evidence from Anglican Converts in Urban British Africa," African Economic History Working Paper No. 74 [PDF]
Felix Meier zu Selhausen, Marco van Leeuwen, and Jacob Weisdorf (2018), ‘Social mobility among Christian Africans: Evidence from Anglican Marriage Registers in Uganda’, Economic History Review 71, pp. 1291-1321 [PDF] [WP] [Mentioned on the African Economic History Blog.]
Felix Meier zu Selhausen and Jacob Weisdorf (2016), ‘A Colonial Legacy of African Gender Inequality? Evidence from Christian Kampala, 1895-2011’, Economic History Review 69, pp. 229-257 [PDF] [WP]
Morten Jerven, Donatella Strangio, and Jacob Weisdorf (2021), 'A Case of Its Own? A Review of Italy's Colonisation of Eritrea, 1890-1941,' Journal of European Economic History 59, pp. 99-132 [PDF] [ WP]
The Neolithic Revolution
Richard Guzman and Jacob Weisdorf (2011), ‘The Neolithic Revolution from a Price-Theoretic Perspective,’ Journal of Development Economics 96, pp. 209-219 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2005), ‘From Foraging to Farming: Explaining the Neolithic Revolution,’ Journal of Economic Surveys 19, pp. 561-586 [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2009), ‘Why did the First Farmers Toil? Human Metabolism and the Origins of Agriculture,’ European Review of Economic History 13, pp. 157-172 (lead article) [PDF] [WP]
Jacob Weisdorf (2004), ‘On the Road to Riches: Aspects of Economic and Demographic Growth from the Stone Age and Beyond’, PhD Dissertation (Economics), Red Series Publication No 104, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Journal ranking and citation analyses
Gianfranco Di Vaio; Daniel Waldenström; and Jacob Weisdorf (2012), ‘Citation Success: Evidence from Economic History Journal Publications,’ Explorations in Economic History 49, pp. 92–104 [PDF] [WP]
Gianfranco Di Vaio and Jacob Weisdorf (2010), ‘Ranking Economic History Journals: A Citation-Based Impact Factor Analysis,’ Cliometrica 4, pp. 1-17 (lead article) [PDF] [WP] (Note-size version published in Italian version: ‘Classificare le riviste di storia economica: un’analisi di fattore d’impatto’ Italian Review of Economic History 26, pp. 367-375 [PDF ])