I am a PhD Candidate at IRES/LIDAM, UCLouvain.

My research interests are applied microeconomics, economic history, human capital, migration, and long-term growth.

I visited Northwestern University during Winter and Spring 2024.

I am on the Academic Job Market 2024-2025. You can find my CV here.

My email address is: chiara.zanardello@uclouvain.be

Job Market Paper

Early Modern Academies, Universities, and Economic Growth

I use a novel micro-level database of Early Modern scholars and educational institutions to investigate the relationship between knowledge production and Europe’s economic growth from 1500 to 1800. Micro-level data on scholars’ fields of study show that literary academies contribute to an initial decline in population growth rates, an effect that dissipates over time. In contrast, scientific academies drive urban growth 15% faster after 100 years and this effect persists, compared to cities without scientific academies. I analyze this database of historical evidence and test support for the hypothesis that the presence of academies prompted universities to reform and innovate. I find that where there is a scientific academy, universities in the same cities are of higher quality. I provide the first evidence of the pivotal role scientific academies played in Europe’s economic growth and the modernization of its universities.