Dr. Regina Grafe

Biography

Regina Grafe is a faculty director at the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge. She is an economic and social historian specializing in the Iberian world from 1820 onwards. Her research engages with theoretical and methodological approaches in history, capitalism, and global history, focusing primarily on a comparative study of political, fiscal, commercial, and financial institutions. Prior to joining the Faculty of History, she held a postgraduate-only position at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence and has had appointments at Carlos III University, London School of Economics, Oxford University, and Northwestern University. One of her current projects titled ‘Men Mortal, Debt Eternal…’ examines the credit system in colonial Spanish America, tracing the development of vibrant financial markets in cities such as Mexico City, Lima, and Buenos Aires, where religious institutions became sophisticated lenders. Grafe argues that the availability of cheap and ample credit from both private and public sectors contributed significantly to the financialization of colonial society, challenging the traditional narrative that attributes the complex financial development solely to Europe and North America.

Research Interests

Experience