The Quetelet Center for Quantitative Historical Research is an interfaculty and interdisciplinary service centre that offers advice and expertise on the use of historical data that can be studied statistically or in map form.
Researchers from all disciplines and the general public can come to us with questions about the use of quantitative and quantifiable sources on Belgium's past.
In the spotlight
How did inequality evolve in the Flemish countryside during the early modern period? In a recently published article, Wouter Ronsijn demonstrates that the development of inequality differed markedly from one region to another. The study draws on historical data on farms and land use derived from the STREAM database.
Why was Belgium the first country in the world to introduce proportional representation? A new study, partly based on data from LOKSTAT, shows how urbanization and changing power relations helped shape the electoral reform of 1899.
Just over a year ago, the S.O.S. Antwerp database was launched. Since then, this exceptional collection of historical causes-of-death data has been widely used for research on health, epidemics, and social inequality. A new review article highlights the richness of the database and its scientific potential.
How did Brussels’ construction sector evolve during one and a half centuries of urbanization? A new study reconstructs the history of almost 17,000 construction firms between 1830 and 1970 and shows how small craft-based businesses continued to coexist with increasingly large construction companies. Historical data from POPPKAD helped map the growth of the city and its building stock.