Markus Hansen

MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History

University of Cambridge

MLitt in Transnational, Global and Spatial History

University of St Andrews

BA in History of Ideas

Aarhus University 

I am a historian of Denmark from 1660 to the present day with a focus on the 18th century. I am especially interested in the history of feudalism and capitalism, agriculture, political economy, Marx and marxism and what I call "historical rationalities". I have previously studied mainly English and Scottish intellectual and economic developments.

My doctoral project investigates the great Danish Agrarian Reforms of the 18th century -- although there is good reason to rather label this a revolution. In the span of just a few decades, half of the Danish peasantry went from a condition of semi-enserfment to one of owner-occupancy. This was achieved through the alienation of manorial land by the aristocracy. My research attempts to figure out why exactly the lords chose to sell their land, as this was their tradtional base of power and income.

The second project I am currently working on (with Dr Esben Bøgh Sørensen) is a study of the development of capitalism in Danish agriculture, covering the period of 1660-2022.

My theoretical and methodological orientation is towards Political Marxism.

I have secondary interests in critical theory, philosophy and psychoanalysis. I welcome enquiries on all of the above subjects, as well as on matters of editing, translation, reviewing and media appearances.