Capitalism in Context: Commodification and Appropriation of Land and Labor in the Modern World (CCCALL)
The research group Capitalism in Context (CCCALL) at the Walter Benjamin Kolleg explores the global history of land and labor commodification from the early enclosures in 16th-century Europe to the emergence of large estates, colonial plantation systems, and contemporary land grabbing. We investigate how these extractive economies have shaped social relations, gender dynamics, labor regimes, environmental change, and systems of inequality—past and present. Our work draws from a range of historical and interdisciplinary approaches, integrating local case studies into broader global frameworks.
CCCALL is an open and welcoming research group that encourages the active participation of MA and Ph.D. students, postdocs and experienced researchers from across the university. Whether you are developing your own research, seeking collaboration, or simply interested in the historical and contemporary dimensions of capitalism, inequality, extractivism, or social transformation, we invite you to reach out and get involved. You are welcome to join our discussions, propose initiatives, attend events, or collaborate on future projects. Our aim is to create an inclusive, critical, and intellectually vibrant community for exchanging ideas and advancing knowledge on the commodification and appropriation of land and labor.
For more information or to learn how to get involved with CCCALL, please contact carlos.olano@unibe.ch. We welcome inquiries, collaborations, and new ideas from students, researchers, and members of the university community.
