EDUCATION To really understand the world in which we live, work, love and die, we need to know how our world has been shaped by developments and events in both the recent and distant pasts. Rural & Environmental History is responsible for the courses and programmes in history at Wageningen University & Research. We offer courses, free subjects and thesis-subjects. The history courses taught in Wageningen provide insights into the origins of the global gap between rich and poor, the causes of societal resilience and collapse, the role gender, culture and class play in various societies, the relations between our individual diet choices and collective food provision and the emergence of sustainable societies. History courses offer even more than that. Our courses question aspects of the deep roots of human development by focussing on long-term processes of change. History reminds us that ‘development’ is a process, rather than a condition. And even though the future is in many ways unpredictable, knowledge of history aids to create a better understanding of the dynamics of change. This understanding is a potentially valuable part of your intellectual development and once appreciated, it will improve your capacity to make decisions in and contribute to your future academic and professional life. RESEARCH Our research is characterised by the combined application of quantitative, qualitative and comparative historical research methods. We draw theoretical inspiration from the social sciences. Archival research and data collection form a central part of research activities. We value the valorisation of research results and strive to reach out to academic as well as public audiences. Our research focusses on long term economic growth, (in)equality, sustainability, governance, agricultural and rural development, landscape and heritage. There are ongoing research-programs on 'Is poverty destiny?', 'Exploring long term changes in African living standards' and 'Institutional development and Modernisation and Democratisation in 19th century Dutch countryside'. For more information on our research program, contact our chairholder Prof. dr Ewout Frankema.