Dr. Sheilagh Ogilvie

Biography

Sheilagh Ogilvie is the Chichele Professor of Economic History at All Souls College, University of Oxford. She grew up in Calgary, Canada, and has lived in Scotland, Germany, England, the USA, and the Czech Republic. She studied at the Universities of St Andrews, Cambridge, and Chicago, and was a Research Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. Over her 31 years at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Economics, she developed a deep interest in the economic history of Europe, particularly during the Middle Ages and into modern times. Her research focuses on the lives of ordinary people in the past and seeks to understand how poor economies can improve human well-being. Sheilagh is particularly interested in social institutions and the formal and informal constraints that shape economic activity. Recent publications have explored topics including guilds, serfdom, family dynamics, gender, human capital investment, and the role of the state in economic growth. As a recognized scholar, she continues to influence debates on economic history through her lectures and publications.

Research Interests

Experience