Dr. Rebecca Simson

Biography

Rebecca Simson is a Departmental Lecturer in Economic and Social History at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the history of economic development in postcolonial Africa, with particular interest in the economic conditions and social structures that have shaped parts of Africa over the past 60 years. She examines the limited structural transformation and rapid population growth, urbanization, and educational attainment, particularly in the context of new climate stresses. Simson has held the David Richards Junior Research Fellowship in Economic History at Wadham College and has previously worked in postdoctoral roles at the London School of Economics' Institute of Historical Studies. Her research interests include public sector employment policies in postcolonial Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, where she has utilized statistics on public expenditure and employment earnings to assess the changes in public employment objectives over time. Her scholarly contributions have been featured in notable journals such as the Economic History Review, Journal of International Development, and African Affairs, highlighting studies on economic and social inequalities, as well as elite persistence. Currently, she is focused on wealth inequality in Sierra Leone and is developing a new research project examining Africa's economic depression during the 1980s and 1990s. Simson also teaches various modules related to Economic and Social History for undergraduate and graduate students.

Research Interests

Courses