Welcome to my website!

I am a Visiting Professor in Economic History at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Working at the intersection of comparative economics, economic history, and political economy, I focus on the historical and political changes that drive the periodic and sudden increases in the size, strength and activity of revolutionary movements. My work examines how economic, social, and ethnic inequalities foster popular discontent and trigger revolutionary moments.

Building on a PhD from Freie Universität Berlin (07/2023) and postdoctoral research at Trinity College Dublin (09/2023-01/2025), my work analyzes how the preferences and incentives of key actors influenced institutional development and broader economic trajectories.

My regional focus spans Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia, with particular emphasis on the evolution and collapse of regimes in Imperial Russia, the German Democratic Republic (GDR), and Stalin’s Soviet Union.

Please get in touch: julia.zimmermann@uc3m.es.