Since the 1980s, the economic landscape of the world has changed dramatically: globalisation, finanzialisation and deindustrialisation, rapid growth of global and national economic inequality, and repeated financial crises. Although the world has changed, intellectual historians have yet to seize the opportunity of offering historical in-depth understandings of the changes of global capitalism, then and now. This, we argue, should indeed be possible, and this special issue of Ideas in History calls for an “economic turn” of the discipline of intellectual history.

We are interested in work that investigates the moral and cultural histories of economic rationalities and practice; work that traces the ways in which modern economic rationality became natural, and the ways in which it had to struggle (or collaborate) with religious and scientific authorities in order to gain legitimacy. Studies might concern various economic topics and practices, such as finance, poverty, markets, the state, regulation debates, statistics, money, insurance, etc., but it should investigate these from a perspective and/or methodology that can clearly be identified as affiliated with the discipline of intellectual history. Indeed, economic practices and rationalities offer great opportunities for being studied as representation, discourse, rhetoric, ideology, signs, symbols, etc., instead of merely being cold-hearted facts, graphs, figures, laws or objective truths that are not mediated through culture.

Periodically, we are interested in the early modern period (with the rise of e.g. double-entry bookkeeping and of merchant capitalism in e.g. Venice), in the modern enlightenment period, and in the contemporary world. We are particularly interested in studies that investigate the moral and political controversies surrounding economic practices, and the role that religion and science, especially natural science, have played in these. Readings of work that deal with greater cultural and intellectual changes in the context of economic practices will be preferred over “great text” readings. Reflections on whether the language of economics and economic values has today become a “master discourse,” stronger than both truth (science) and faith (religion) are highly welcome, as well as reflections on whether economic discourses are still haunted/supported by religious and/or scientific beliefs. Deadline for article submission is October 1st 2012.

Ideas in History is a double-blind peer reviewed journal. Pieces should generally be 8-12,000 words long. Pieces will be received by the journal editors. Upon approval by the editorial board, pieces will then be sent for blind peer review. Ideas in History uses the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed., author-date system for references: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org /tools_citationguide.html.

Ideas in History subscribes to the principle of global English; manuscripts may be submitted in any self-consistent national form of English as concerns spelling, grammar and syntax. For placement of quotation marks, spellings of dates, capitalization conventions, placement of references, page numbering conventions and the compilation of the reference list, authors are referred to the Chicago Manual. The reference list should be labeled "References." Manuscripts should be submitted in Times New Roman 12. Footnotes, when necessary, should be used instead of endnotes and be formatted in Times New Roman 10. Manuscripts should be line spaced at either 1.5 or 2.0. Articles should be sent to: ideasinhistory@cgs.aau.dk