Height, health and living standards in the eighteenth century Seminar

Professor Harris's recent publications include The changing body: health, nutrition and human development in the western world since 1700 (Cambridge University Press, 2011) and Gender and well-being in Europe: historical and contemporary perspectives (Ashgate, 2009).

This informal presentation starts by reviewing some of the early evidence on changes in real wages during the eighteenth century, before showing how this evidence was challenged by new information on trends in height and mortality.  The middle sections of the presentation will focus on the long-running debate between Roderick Floud and his co-authors, on one side, and John Komlos, on the other, regarding the direction of changes in height during this period.  Professor Harris will then show how new information about wage rates and food availability has reinforced the more ‘optimistic' case before reviewing the most recent publications in this area.