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Chris Colvin

@cliochris.bsky.social
1.5K followers 412 following 27 posts

Reader in Economic History, Queen's University Belfast @quceh.bsky.social | Associate Editor, Business History @businesshistory.bsky.social | Website: chris-colvin.github.io

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Reposted by Chris Colvin
Economics Observatory @econ-observatory.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
JUST PUBLISHED - How has children’s health in the UK changed over the past 100 years? By Bernard Harris buff.ly/hdVekT2
economicsobservatory.com
How has children’s health in the UK changed over the past 100 years? - Economics Observatory
The physical health of British children has improved substantially over the last century. While there had already been many improvements in children’s health before 1926, both infant and child…
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Reposted by Chris Colvin
Economics Observatory @econ-observatory.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
TODAY on the Economics Observatory - Have economic inequalities in the UK narrowed over the past 100 years? By Neil Cummins 👇️ buff.ly/T9lVPIn
economicsobservatory.com
Have economic inequalities in the UK narrowed over the past 100 years? - Economics Observatory
Globally, there were dramatic and apparently permanent declines in almost all measures of economic inequality within countries across the 20th century. The UK too experienced these global trends, as…
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Reposted by Chris Colvin
Business History, a Taylor & Francis Journal @businesshistory.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Business History is inviting applications for an Associate Editor to join its Editorial Team. Application deadline: 1 September 2026 ‼️ @entandsoc.bsky.social @historian-kparkin.bsky.social @hagleycenter.bsky.social @cliochris.bsky.social @businesshistoryc.bsky.social @mariehuber.bsky.social
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Yep, he won the EHS new researcher prize for that one!
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Very proud PhD supervisor announcement: Malte Hinrichs has published his first-ever article! He explores the role of water mills in Germany's industrialisation. Think of it as "Mokyr in Prussia". @cephie.bsky.social Well worth a read: doi.org/10.1016/j.ee...
doi.org
Redirecting
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Kevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke @kevinhorourke.eurosky.social · 19/03/2026
I gave the Alice Murray Lecture in TCD recently and it is available here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea_-... #econhist
youtube.com
"What is unsurprising about Trump’s tariffs, and why it matters", Kevin O'Rourke, 19.02.2026
YouTube video by CEPH
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Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin @tcdeconomics.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
This month on Research Snapshots, we spoke to Míde Griffin, a third-year PhD student in the Department and @cephie.bsky.social. Read the interview here: tinyurl.com/5euker2r @tcdschoolssp.bsky.social @trinityresearch.bsky.social @tlrhub.bsky.social @trisstcd.bsky.social
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
I was teaching Mokyr on the Industrial Revolution to my final-year economics students just last week. And next week, we're doing his work on the Great Irish Famine!
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Extraordinary news: Joel Mokyr has won the Nobel for his work on the Industrial Revolution. Entirely deserved, though in truth, he ought to win another for his work on the Great Irish Famine, which transformed how we think about Ireland’s nineteenth century and the economic history of catastrophe.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
We have different publication norms and processes to biological sciences. Each paper we write is longer, peer review is more thorough. This paper was 10 years of work. We benefitted from the input of dozens of reviewers and scores conferences audiences. Please don't accuse us of doing bad science.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
In economic history, we lead with the empirics. We uncover surprising patterns. We then propose plausible explanations. We test them as rigorously as possible, given data limitations. We conclude with the most convincing narrative, which is inherently falsifiable.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
We let the data speak. We ran every suggested robustness test. We are a multidisciplinary team with expertise in economics, history and health. We consulted epidemiologists and famine experts. We have a nuanced argument that addresses biological, socioeconomic and institutional factors. Please.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Read this, follow the links, you'll get a sense of which disciplines contribute to this field: theconversation.com/soaring-food...
theconversation.com
Soaring food prices prove the Gaza famine is real – and will affect generations to come
History shows how devastating famines are and the lasting impact they have. Gaza is no different and a moral stain on those perpetuating it.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Or google another Nobel winner: Angus Deaton, who has written extensively on selection and scarring. Or maybe just read our article rather than questioning our qualifications.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Anthropometrics is a very well established field with many health economics and economic history contributions. Just google Robert Fogel, Richard Steckel or John Komlos. Or take a look at the journal Economics & Human Biology.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
New publication: "Why are corporations terminated? A century of evidence from the Netherlands" (co-authored with Abe de Jong, Philip Fliers and Florian Madertoner). doi.org/10.1080/0007...
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Thanks! Exports were mostly higher-value cash crops. Proceeds were used to buy cheaper, higher-calorie imports. So exports probably saved lives. There were plenty of policy mistakes, but this is probably not one of them. I have written on policy lessons: www.economicsobservatory.com/the-great-ir...
economicsobservatory.com
The Great Irish Famine: what are the lessons for policy-makers today? - Economics Observatory
Catastrophic risks force policy-makers to make quick decisions based on limited information. The Great Irish Famine shows how such existential crises and the state’s response can precipitate radical a...
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
And a non-technical summary of our article is over on RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How changes in height show the effects of the Great Irish Famine
New research finds that the long‑term health impacts of the Great Irish Famine varied by region and socioeconomic conditions
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
The full article with @eoinaldo.bsky.social and Matthias can be accessed here: doi.org/10.1111/ehr....
doi.org
<em>The Economic History Review</em> | EHS Journal | Wiley Online Library
How do famines shape the health of survivors? We examine the long-term impact of the Great Irish Famine (1845–52) on human stature, distinguishing between adverse scarring effects and the apparent re...
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Irish Studies at QUB @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Our colleague @cliochris.bsky.social and co-authors Mathias Blum and Eoin McLoughlin have a video abstract explaining the key findings of their article 'Scarring and selection in the Great Irish Famine' in the Econ. Hist. Rev. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fptL... and also at www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
youtube.com
Scarring and Selection in the Great Irish Famine: Video Abstract
YouTube video by CEPH
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CAGE Research Centre @cagewarwick.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
📽️ It's been great to work with @discoverecon.bsky.social & @cephie.bsky.social to create a new series of videos to add to our suite of resources aimed at bringing economics and political history to life - showing young people that working in economics is about far more than finance.
buff.ly
New teaching resource provides critical thinking skills to students
Political conflict is high on the world news agenda with rising participation in protests against government policy and unethical practices.
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EconomicsInTen @economicsinten.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
New set of videos from @discoverecon.bsky.social, @cagewarwick.bsky.social & @cephie.bsky.social - the last set were fantastic for development economics and this new set look just as interesting... #EconSky #EduSky www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
youtube.com
School Series (in association with Discover Economics) - YouTube
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
We're looking forward to our workshops at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social next week: ceph.ie/events/17-19... and ceph.ie/events/phd-w... #EconSky #Economics #EconHist #NSRPproject @quceh.bsky.social @cliochris.bsky.social @profjohnturner.bsky.social @ronanlyons.bsky.social @gaianarciso.bsky.social
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
How changes in height show health effects of the Great Irish Famine. Analysis of new data research by @eoinaldo.bsky.social @heriotwattuni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie & @cliochris.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How changes in height show the effects of the Great Irish Famine
New research finds that the long‑term health impacts of the Great Irish Famine varied by region and socioeconomic conditions
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Reposted by Chris Colvin
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
How changes in height show health effects of the Great Irish Famine. Analysis of new data research by @eoinaldo.bsky.social @heriotwattuni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie & @cliochris.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How changes in height show the effects of the Great Irish Famine
New research finds that the long‑term health impacts of the Great Irish Famine varied by region and socioeconomic conditions
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Thanks for including it so quickly!
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
New working paper, co-authored with Homer Wagenaar. We look at the strange but smart patent system of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830) — a mix of examination + royal discretion of patent terms. Turns out: it worked better than you'd think. www.quceh.org.uk/uploads/1/0/...
Patently Peculiar: Patents and Innovation in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
By Homer Wagenaar and Christopher L. Colvin
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
This publication has been a very long time coming. Thanks go especially to all the various referees over the years for their invaluable contributions. You can read all about it in our online appendices (which are longer than the article itself!) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downl...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Thanks Robbie! I enjoyed my trip to Scotland, despite the winds... Yes, we first met at ASREC 2011, in DC. I think that's where I first met @essobecker.bsky.social too!
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Our paper would not have been possible without the data digitisation efforts of our RAs: Thomas Boys, Paudie McKee, Andrew Richie, Kyle Richmond and Holly Shannon.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
New working paper alert: "Financing Innovation: The Role of Patent Examination". @steve-bill-econ.bsky.social, Christopher Coyle and I have been working on this for quite a while now. We are excited to have a full draft for your enjoyment! www.quceh.org.uk/uploads/1/0/...
Financing Innovation: The Role of Patent Examination.

Stephen D. Billington, Christopher L. Colvin and Christopher Coyle.

How does patent examination influence access to finance for innovative firms? We exploit a reform to the UK’s patent system that introduced substantive examination to the patent application process, improving the information available to potential investors on the value of firms’ patents. Using a newly compiled firm-level dataset of exchange-listed corporations, we find that firms holding examined patents were able to borrow more, reflecting improved access to capital markets, and leading to firm growth. Our results highlight the role of patent examination in reducing information asymmetries, enhancing the signalling value of patents, and mitigating financial barriers to innovation.
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Ronan Lyons @ronanlyons.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Delighted to share that Jane Humphries is this year's Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar, an award given annually by @cephie.bsky.social to an economic historian who has made a major contribution to the discipline. Her talk (27 Feb) will be on the econ-hist of care - more details below. #econsky
ceph.ie
27/02/2025 Jane Humphries – The Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture - CEPH - Centre for Economics, Policy and History
Professor Jane Humphries will give the Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture on Thursday 27th February 2025 at 17:00 in the Neill Lecture Theatre of the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin: 'Ca...
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
⚠️ Upcoming deadline!⚠️ Applications for our Research Assistant positions, based at @quceh.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social close this Monday 6th January 2025: ceph.ie/applications... @profjohnturner.bsky.social @cliochris.bsky.social #WeAreHiring #EconomicHistory #NSRPproject #EconSky
ceph.ie
Applications now open for two CEPH Research Assistant positions at Queen's University Belfast - CEPH - Centre for Economics, Policy and History
We are seeking to appoint two exceptional candidates to the post of Research Assistant in Economic History, based at Queen's University Belfast. The Research Assistant will be active in assisting the ...
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
For more details, contact the co-editors at Business History responsible for submissions that employ quantitative methods: @cliochris.bsky.social (chris.colvin@qub.ac.uk) and Abe de Jong (abe.de.jong@rug.nl).
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
The journal’s co-editors are organizing this workshop to promote the use of quantitative methodologies in the study of business history. Abstracts (up to 300 words) are due by 24 January 2025, to coincide with the ABH deadline.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
The workshop will take place alongside the Association of Business Historians Annual Conference 2025, which will be held at Queen’s Business School, @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
The co-editors of @businesshistory.bsky.social invite submissions for a paper development workshop on Quantitative Business History, to take place in Belfast on 20 June 2025.
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Call for Papers: Paper Development Workshop on Quantitative Business History
Full text of Call for Papers (zoom in for details!)
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
📢We are accepting applications for two Research Assistant positions at @quceh.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social Details: ceph.ie/applications... @profjohnturner.bsky.social @cliochris.bsky.social #WeAreHiring #UniversityVacanciesIreland #EconomicHistory #EconTwitter #NSRPproject #EconSky
ceph.ie
Applications now open for two CEPH Research Assistant positions at Queen's University Belfast - CEPH - Centre for Economics, Policy and History
We are seeking to appoint two exceptional candidates to the post of Research Assistant in Economic History, based at Queen's University Belfast. The Research Assistant will be active in assisting the ...
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Application portal is now open for two predoctoral RA posts for the 2025-2026 academic year. This will be a great way to launch a research career in quantitative economic, financial or business history.
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Johan Fourie @johanfourieza.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Afrikaans and how to safeguard the future of minority languages. With research by @cliochris.bsky.social and friends => www.ourlongwalk.com/p/lingonomics
ourlongwalk.com
Lingonomics
Afrikaans and how to safeguard the future of minority languages
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Johan Fourie @johanfourieza.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
I made a list of all the economic historians on the economics job market! Help me update the list by tagging those I've missed.
ourlongwalk.com
The #econhist class of 24/25
Examining how war, migration, trade, policy, education and innovation shaped economies and societies over time
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
We look forward to welcoming @gaber86.bsky.social to @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social for Friday's @quceh.bsky.social seminar: Shaping growth: different types of human capital and European regional incomes (1870-1950)​ ceph.ie/events/29-11... #Economics #EconomicHistory #NSRPproject #EconSky
ceph.ie
29/11/2024 Gabriele Cappelli – QUCEH Seminar Series - CEPH - Centre for Economics, Policy and History
Shaping growth: different types of human capital and European regional incomes (1870-1950)​   Gabriele Cappelli is an Associate Professor of Economic History at the University of Siena, a CEPR Researc...
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History at Queen's University Belfast @qubhistory.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Economic and Social History Society of Ireland conference at QUB 29-30 November www.eshsi.org/uploads/1/0/...
eshsi.org
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 06/11/2024
📢We are accepting applications for a Research Assistant position, based at Trinity College Dublin: ceph.ie/applications... Closing date: 21st November 2024 @ronanlyons.bsky.social @profjohnturner.bsky.social @cliochris.bsky.social #WeAreHiring #EconJobMarket #AcademicJobs #JobFairy #ResearchJobs
ceph.ie
Applications now open for CEPH Research Assistant position - CEPH - Centre for Economics, Policy and History
We are seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate to the post of Research Assistant in Economic History, based at Trinity College Dublin. The Research Assistant will be active in assisting the delive...
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Eoin McLaughlin @eoinaldo.substack.com · 05/09/2024
"Age structure and age heaping: solving Ireland’s post-famine digit preference puzzle" (with @cliochris.bsky.social and Stuart Henderson), just published open access in European Review of Economic History: academic.oup.com/ereh/advance...
academic.oup.com
Age structure and age heaping: solving Ireland’s post-famine digit preference puzzle
Abstract. The quality of age reporting in Ireland worsened in the years after the 1845–1852 Great Irish Famine, even as measures of educational attainment
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Kris Inwood @kris-inwood.bsky.social · 07/01/2024
What can we learn from historical pandemics? A systematic review of the literature by @ainedoran.bsky.social, @cliochris.bsky.social & @eoinaldo.bsky.social. New and #OA! doi.org/10.1016/j.so... 🛟 📗📉📈🗃#Episky #history #demography #polisky #geosky #sociology #anthro #HistSci #AcademicSky
doi.org
Redirecting
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Chris Colvin @cliochris.bsky.social · 03/11/2023
ceph.ie/cfp-wehc2025...
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CEPH @cephie.bsky.social · 02/11/2023
Call for Papers! Is economic history research aware of its potential policy impacts? As part of the World Economic History Congress 2025, @cliochris.bsky.social and Johan Fourie invite the submission of papers exploring the economic history's potential influence on public policy. More details here:
ceph.ie
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