Counting and Deciphering Empires, 18th–21st Centuries

Maison Suger is pleased to host the seminar "Counting and Deciphering Empires, 18th–21st Centuries", 2025–2026 cycle, which explores colonial and imperial statistics and their role in mechanisms of domination.

Econometric interpretations of the effects of modern colonial domination, based on colonial statistics, and research examining interactions between colonial empires, colonised populations, and international institutions, have renewed interest in imperial statistical production. Yet this production remains poorly known.

This seminar, consisting of five online sessions and a hybrid study day, aims to deepen reflections and knowledge on these links, drawing on ongoing research. Among the questions addressed:

• What were the statistical practices of 19th- and 20th-century colonial empires?
• How were their statisticians trained?
• Who participated in data collection, and what were the preferred objects of study?
• In what ways did statistical production create connections, or conversely, marginalise certain groups?
• What role did it play in colonised territories?
• How did these practices contribute to the global generalisation of statistics over the past two centuries?
• How can these data be reappropriated retrospectively, often used to produce definitive assessments of colonisation and contemporary empires?

The seminar combines presentations of classical and original research analysing the role of colonial statistics at different moments: territorial conquest, mobilisation of populations and resources during wars and crises, and cooperation policies. It also critically examines their capacity to influence, if not guide, decision-making.

Sessions will review recent developments in research on colonial empires: presentation of the new imperial history, renewed quantitative approaches recently employed by some economists, sharing of working bibliographies on various empires, while providing a specific reflection on training in the history of statistics.

A growing portion of the seminar audience is based abroad, notably in several Francophone African countries (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Senegal), composed of researchers integrated into the International Research Network COUNT, funded by CNRS INSHS.

The seminars will be accessible online. Links will be provided on the website of the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, on the IDHE.S Paris 8 website, and in the research notebook.

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Practical Information

For the fifth consecutive year, after being hosted by the Musée du Quai Branly (2021–2022), then the Condorcet Campus (2022–2023), and held online with a one-day session at the Musée national de l’immigration (2023–2024), the seminar will take place in 2025–2026 at Maison Suger, 16–18 rue Suger, 75006 Paris.

Organisation

• Emmanuelle Sibeud, Professor of Contemporary History, Université Paris 8 and IDHES (UMR 8533)
• Béatrice Touchelay, Professor of Contemporary History, Université de Lille and IRHIS (UMR 8529)