News
From the lab
Appointments, conferences, lectures and new research from the LEAP team.
2026
Warren Whatley to deliver the eleventh LEAP Lecture
On 9 November, Warren Whatley of the University of Michigan delivers the eleventh LEAP Lecture: Domar in Africa.
Johan Fourie
LEAP co-hosts a workshop on culture and economic policy
On 9 November, researchers meet at STIAS to ask how culture shapes the effects of policy, and how policy reshapes culture. Sara Lowes gives the keynote.
Johan Fourie
Two postdoctoral fellows join LEAP
Noah MacDonald and Etienne Le Rossignol take up LEAP postdoctoral fellowships in Stellenbosch this month.
Johan Fourie
Project 1834 launches with a conference at STIAS
The international conference Global Slavery, Emancipations and the University opened LEAP's new project on slavery, emancipation and Stellenbosch.
Kate Ekama
2025
Kate Ekama gives the Emancipation Day address in Pniel
Kate Ekama traced the lives of enslaved people who won their freedom, in the keynote at the Emancipation Day commemoration in Pniel.
Meredith Paker delivers the tenth LEAP Lecture
The tenth annual LEAP Lecture, Understanding the Past with Machine Learning, closed our conference on AI and economic history.
Johan Fourie
Two LEAP candidates on the economics job market
Gabriel Brown and Tim Ngalande are on the 2025–26 economics job market.
LEAP advertises five postdoctoral fellowships for 2026
Five postdoctoral fellowships in economic history, for candidates on the 2025–26 economics job market.
Edward Kerby opens the African Economic History Network meetings
Edward Kerby gave the opening keynote in Maseru, Make African Economic History Great Again, on behalf of Johan Fourie.
Lisa Martin defends her dissertation
Lisa Martin defended her PhD dissertation, Life after Slavery, in the Department of Economics.
2024
LEAP receives Stellenbosch University's interdisciplinary research award
In October 2024 LEAP received the university's interdisciplinary research award.
In memory of Hans Heese
Hans Heese, the former archivist of Stellenbosch University, died on 18 March 2024.
Workshop on economic history and economic policy
Chris Colvin and Jonas Hjort gave the keynotes at LEAP's workshop on economic history and economic policy.
Karl Bergemann graduates
Karl Bergemann received his PhD in History in March 2024.
Honorary doctorates for Leonard Wantchekon and James Robinson
Stellenbosch University awarded honorary doctorates to Leonard Wantchekon and James Robinson for their contributions to economic history and their work with LEAP.
The Cape Panel completes the auction roll series
The Cape of Good Hope Panel has finished transcribing the MOOC 10 series of auction rolls.
2023
Grant Parker delivers the eighth LEAP Lecture
Grant Parker of Stanford University delivered the eighth annual LEAP Lecture.
LEAP at the European Social Science History Conference
Jonathan Schoots and Kate Ekama presented their research in Gothenburg.
2022
Amy Rommelspacher graduates
Amy Rommelspacher received her PhD in History in December 2022.
LEAP hosts the Cape of Good Hope Panel meeting
The researchers of the Cape of Good Hope Panel met in Stellenbosch.
Closing conference of the Biography project
LEAP hosted the closing conference of Biography of an Uncharted People.
LEAP at the African Economic History Network meetings in Las Palmas
LEAP researchers attended the African Economic History Network meetings in Las Palmas.
Fugitives, a documentary
The Biography project and Blindspot Films made Fugitives, a documentary.
LEAP at the World Economic History Congress in Paris
LEAP researchers attended the World Economic History Congress in Paris.
