Mission
The ELHN Guild and Artisan Labour Working Group brings together scholars engaged in a classic topic of economic and social history: craft guilds and artisan labour. We aim to expand upon and deepen the long-standing debates on the socio-economic dynamics that linked these institutions to labour and society from a historical perspective, especially spanning the 14th to the 19th centuries, in Europe and abroad.
Scope
Although excellent studies on the subject have not been lacking in recent decades, the main focus—rightly—has shifted toward invisible labour, prompting a reassessment of sources traditionally deemed secondary to guild records, as their predominant use in twentieth-century historiography gave rise to interpretative models that are now increasingly contested—for example, the notion of a stagnant pre-modern economy or the exclusion of women from labour.
We believe that this rich and fruitful season of research must now reconnect with the study of guilds—institutions that, especially in urban Europe, regulated professional training, ensured production quality standards, and controlled access to the market. These institutions exercised normative and identity-shaping power that extended far beyond mere economic regulation, profoundly shaping the social and cultural structures of their communities. However, even if the primary geographical focus of the Working Group is Eurasia, the scope of research also extends to the former colonies and beyond, promoting a global perspective through comparative analysis with other “guild-like institutions” worldwide.
The purpose of this Working Group is to enhance our understanding of this phenomenon and to lay the groundwork for a reconsideration of labour history studies, free from superficial generalizations. What we propose is to focus on these institutions—drawing on the extensive existing literature and brand-new archival research—to study them in their own right and in their fullness, on their own terms, rather than merely as a "phase" or "configuration" within a broader category of labour.
Activities
The Guild and Artisan Labour Working Group invites all interested scholars - at any stage of their academic career (and especially PhD students) - to submit a 250-word abstract for a communication to be presented at the VI Congress of the European Labour History Network to be held in-person at the Universitat de Barcelona between 16-19 June 2026. The Guild and Artisan Labour Working Group welcomes contributions that engage with, but are not restricted to, the following themes:
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, or if you wish to participate in the wider, ongoing activities of the Working Group, please feel free to reach out via email. Please let us know if you are interested in participating in the Working Group Meeting via video call to be held at the ELHN Conference. We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact
guild.artisan.labour@gmail.com
External links
[last updated 26 January 2026]