Trends and Topics on Trade and Transport : Research on Early Modern Logistics during the 2000s

Abstract

This article surveys international discussions of early modern maritime history appearing in major journals in economic, business, transport and maritime history. It analyses which topics were discussed or ignored, and suggests reasons for this. The article moreover aims to find out why Nordic scholars have shown a particular interest in the history of early modern trade and transport. We argue that although maritime history as a whole and early modern maritime history in particular may be considered niche areas, there is nevertheless lively discussion and streams of research ongoing in these fields. To a certain extent there has been a reawakening due to the opportunities for better access to sources afforded by digital history, thereby generating new interest in maritime history topics.