Settler Economies in World History

Abstract

Research projects such as the one that produced this book require both sustained individual efforts and collaborative energy. The three of us first explored the potential value of a unified approach to a comparative study of the Settler Economies in 2002 at a meeting of the International Economic History Association in Buenos Aires. After testing the idea on our colleagues, we extended a broad invitation to interested scholars to Participate in an all-day exploratory session as part of the 2005 congress of the International Committee of Historical Sciences in Sydney. At that meeting the collaborative effort was begun. In the discussion the current state of thinking about the unity of the settler economy experience was explored, the theme of our enterprise was sharpened, the needed and missing components were identified, and volunteers stepped forward with a willingness to participate. Participants who were unable to come to Sydney were also invited to join the effort. The authors of each chapter proposed and defined their topic, explored its archival and quantitative possibilities, and drafted their reports. These first drafts were presented to each other and a larger audience at the World Economic History Congress in Helsinki in 2006. The authors and the audience questioned, critiqued, and expanded upon the presentations. Collaboration was again a key to our efforts. The authors learned from each other, took to advice well, and improved their chapters both in substance and style.