Book presentation & discussion 'Medieval inequalities'

On Thursday 26 March 2026, 4pm - max. 6pm (Ghent, Plateau Building, Simon Stevin Room), the Henri Pirenne Institute organizes a book presentation and round table on the topic of medieval inequalities, on the occasion of the publication of the volume Socio-Economic Inequalities during the Conjuncture of the Fourteenth Century - Sources and Methods, Dynamics and Representations (Italy and Europe, c. 1270 - c. 1350) (Firenze University Press, 2025), edited by Davide Cristoferi.

Through nineteen original and state-of-the-art contributions focusing on Central-Northern Italy and Western Europe between c. 1270 and c. 1350, the volume aims to understand why, how and to what extent medieval society was unequal in the seventy years before the Great Plague of 1347-52. It presents a wide range of sources and methods, exploring and discussing the causal mechanisms of socio-economic inequalities, and examining how these differences were perceived, represented and dealt with in the late Middle Ages.

The programme of the afternoon will be as follows:

• Introduction of the event by HPIMS coordinator Dr. Stefan Meysman
• Presentation of the main contents of the book by volume editor Dr. Davide Cristoferi (senior postdoctoral fellow /  FNRS chargé de recherche at ULB)
  • Intervention by em. prof. Erik Thoen (Ghent University emeritus professor of premodern ecological history and economic growth and inequality)
  • Intervention by Prof. dr. Jan Dumolyn (HPIMS Chair and professor of medieval urban and socio-political history)
• Discussion and Questions and comments from the audience

The event will take place at the Simon Stevin Meeting Room of Ghent University's Plateau-building. Entrance Jozef Plateaustraat 22, up the stairs to the left, through the glass doors, first room on the left in the hallway. Attendance is free, but please register by sending an email to Stefan.Meysman@UGent.be.