About Artifacts of Capitalism in the Pre-Modern World
Artifacts of Capitalism is a collaborative digital archive and scholarly project devoted to interpreting the material, textual, and cultural remnants of capitalism from its earliest formations to its enduring global impact. From account books and husbandry manuals to race programs, theatrical ephemera, and economic sermons, these artifacts offer entry points into the lived experience and imaginative representation of capitalism across time.
The project emerged from the 2025 Shakespeare Association of America (SAA) seminar titled Artifacts of Capitalism in Early Modern Drama, led by Eric Dunnum (Campbell University). This seminar asked: How did early moderns respond to emerging forms of capitalism, and what material traces did they leave behind? Through shared readings and artifact analysis, participants explored how objects such as sermons, ledgers, printed guides, and stage props help illuminate the economic dimensions of early modern drama, particularly in Shakespeare’s work. Rather than treating “capitalism” as a static or fully formed concept, the seminar emphasized the value of tracing proto-capitalist behaviors and representations through the archival fragments of everyday life:
Seminar participants included scholars from a wide range of institutions:
- Anthony Brano (Georgian Court University)
- Erika Lyn Carbonara (Kalamazoo College)
- Elizabeth Hanson (Queen’s University)
- Robin Alfriend Kello (Seton Hall University)
- Patrick J. Long (University at Buffalo, SUNY)
- Scott C. Lucas (The Citadel)
- Vincent Mennella (Southern Methodist University)
- Mike Opal (Muhlenberg College)
- Mickael Boris Popelard (University of Caen Normandy, France)
- Rachel Leann Spencer (University of Texas at Austin)
- Travis D. Williams (University of Rhode Island)
Inspired by that conversation, Artifacts of Capitalism in the Pre-Modern World now functions as a living archive — a site where scholars, students, and the public can contribute entries on documents, images, and performances that preserve capitalism’s legacy in material form. The platform encourages interdisciplinary and intertemporal connections, showing how economic thinking was staged, challenged, or naturalized in texts and objects.
All pages are reviewed by an editorial board to ensure scholarly accuracy, ethical citation, and historical nuance. Anyone with a registered account is welcome to propose entries and help expand the archive’s network of ideas and artifacts.
