Christoffer Pfeiffer Cappelen

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My research centers around comparative politics and historical political economy. In my PhD dissertation, I investigate the historical emergence of the modern state in medieval and early modern Europe. The project aims to trace the origins of the modern state and understand how central rulers managed to wrest coercive power from rival actors such as the nobility and the church. 

I am currently formulating a new project tracing the historical origins and persistence of cultural norms and values related to gender. Gender roles have varied widely in different places and at different times. Yet, our understanding of why traditional gender roles have persisted over centuries (sometimes even milennia) remains limited. The project asks under what conditions traditional gender roles emerge and under what conditions they persist and/or change. 

Primary fields of research

• Comparative politics
• Historical political economy
• State formation
• State capacity
• Historical development of culture
• Democratization
• Quantitative methods
• Causal inference
• Political institutions