Guido Alfani wins Ranki Biennial Prize with "As Gods Among Men"

Economic historian Guido Alfani, director of Bocconi University's Dondena Research Center, received the Ranki Biennial Prize, a prestigious international award given by the Economic History Association, for his book As Gods Among Men. A History of the Rich in the West (Princeton University Press, 2023).

The prize, awarded every two years to the best volume of comparative economic history, celebrates research capable of expanding and renewing understanding of economic processes over the long term. With As Gods Among Men, Alfani has been able to stand out with a work that combines academic rigor and expository clarity, offering a broad reconstruction of the role of the rich in Western society from the Middle Ages to the contemporary age.

The book, translated into 11 languages, investigates how economic elites have influenced political and social transformations, also showing how societies have from time to time accepted, celebrated or condemned extreme wealth. Using a comparative approach and a wealth of data, Alfani highlights the changing and controversial nature of economic inequality, providing the reader with tools to critically interpret today's debates as well.

”Being awarded the Ranki Prize for my book As Gods Among Men makes me incredibly proud,” Alfani says. “Writing a scientific book of this kind requires years of research, and even more years are spent in writing. It is almost like a struggle with oneself!”