Catherine Douglas
Research Area
About
My work at UBC’s Vancouver School of Economics reflects a life-long interest in questions about human behavior, social structures, disparities in economic outcomes, and the course of history. The study of economic history, in particular, has provided the perfect environment for me to explore theories and methods addressing such problems and continues to support the development of my research and teaching interests.
I approach teaching from the perspective that students who actively engage with course material both intellectually and experientially are likely to not only enjoy their learning more, but to have a better understanding of relevant economic principles, their expression in the “real world,” and debates about the course of economic growth and development – whether in history or at present. This approach has been extended through the integration of community-based research with partners in the local region and internationally, a means by which students are able to deepen their understanding of such complex processes.
The emphasis of my teaching and research is on Canadian and European economic history, Indigenous perspectives, sustainable economic development, technological change, and the pedagogy of post-secondary education. I obtained my Ph.D. from Nuffield College, Oxford.
Teaching
Research
Ph.D. (DPhil) Thesis
Enclosure and Agricultural Development in Scotland