𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆

𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦

𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆

𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹:
Business History

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿:
Taylor & Francis Group

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
15 April 2026

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
01 November 2026

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲

Cities have played a pivotal role in shaping global capitalism for centuries. From medieval trading centers and colonial port cities to industrial metropolises and financial hubs, urban spaces have served as critical nodes connecting the movement of goods, capital, people, and ideas across the world.

This Special Issue explores how cities have functioned not merely as backdrops to business activity but as active agents in the development of global economic systems. It seeks to examine the dynamic relationship between urban environments and business globalization, highlighting how cities fostered commerce, finance, migration, infrastructure development, manufacturing, and innovation across different historical periods and regions.

The issue encourages global and comparative perspectives, particularly research focusing on underrepresented regions such as Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, to advance a broader understanding of cities as engines of global economic transformation.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁

Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• Cities as hubs of global finance, trade, and manufacturing
• Urban stock exchanges, merchant networks, and banking institutions
• Real estate development and global investment flows
• Colonial cities and international business networks
• Ports, logistics systems, and urban infrastructure development
• Migration, diaspora entrepreneurship, and informal economies
• Globalization from below and transnational business networks
• Urban resilience during wars, financial crises, pandemics, and economic shocks
• Environmental change, sustainability, and urban business adaptation
• Property markets and global capital circulation
• Comparative studies of global cities across regions and historical periods
• Urban growth, industrialization, and business development
• Cities as centers of innovation, specialization, and economic transformation

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

While business history has traditionally focused on firms, entrepreneurs, and institutions, the urban environments that enabled these activities have often received less attention. This Special Issue positions cities at the center of global business history and seeks to uncover how urban spaces shaped the evolution of commerce, finance, production, and globalization.

By integrating diverse case studies and comparative perspectives, the issue aims to build a richer understanding of the role cities have played in creating and sustaining global economic networks across time and geography.

𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

Valeria Giacomin
Bocconi University, Italy
Email: valeria.giacomin@unibocconi.it

Youssef Cassis
European University Institute, Italy
Email: youssef.cassis@eui.eu

Jan Logemann
University of Göttingen, Germany
Email: jan.logemann@wiwi.uni-goettingen.de

Chinmay Tumbe
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India
Email: chinmayt@iima.ac.in

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

• Extended proposals (800–1000 words) must be submitted by 15 April 2026.
• Proposals should include the research question, historical scope, methodology, sources, and expected contribution.
• Authors should email proposals to valeria.giacomin@unibocconi.it with the subject line: “CFP – Business and Cities Special Issue”.
• Full manuscript submission deadline: 01 November 2026.
• Selected papers may participate in development workshops during 2026 and 2027.
• Final papers should generally be between 8,000–10,000 words and follow Business History author guidelines.
• All manuscripts will undergo the journal’s peer-review process before publication.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹

Business History is a leading international journal dedicated to the study of firms, entrepreneurs, industries, institutions, and economic systems across historical contexts. The journal publishes innovative research that advances understanding of business development and its broader economic, social, and global dimensions.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

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