(Un)Real wages! 7 centuries of strategies for living when wages and prices diverge.

(Un)Real wages! 7 centuries of strategies for living when wages and prices diverge is an interactive public event exploring how people in the past navigated rising prices, changing wages and financial pressures.

The event will be delivered in person and will combine short presentations, historical case studies, archival materials and audience discussion. Participants will be introduced to real examples of people from different periods between the fourteenth and twentieth centuries making decisions about work, spending and household budgets under varying economic conditions.

The main focus of the event is a series of interactive case studies presented by researchers working on wages, living standards and household finances in the past. Participants will be invited to discuss and compare historical experiences with contemporary concerns about pay, affordability and the cost of living. The event is expected to last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours and will include opportunities for audience questions and discussion.

This event explores how people in the past earned a living, negotiated wages and managed their spending in periods of economic change.

Drawing on historical research and archival evidence, the event examines how wages, prices and living standards interacted over time, highlighting the different ways people were paid and how they made choices about work and consumption. Participants will hear stories about real individuals facing financial pressures and learn how economic circumstances influenced everyday decision-making.

The event connects these historical experiences to contemporary concerns about wages, affordability and the cost of living. It offers insights into how people responded to economic challenges in the past and encourages reflection on the factors shaping living standards today.

The event will be led by Professor Judy Stephenson, economic historian and specialist in the history of wages, wage bargaining and living standards.

The event will also involve several researchers whose work focuses on real wages, living standards and household budgets in the past.

The event is open to young people aged 18–25.

No prior knowledge of economics, economic history or social science is required. The event is designed for non-specialists and welcomes participants from a wide range of educational and employment backgrounds.

This event will be of particular interest to young people aged 18–25 who are concerned about wages, housing costs, living standards and the financial challenges facing their generation.

It may especially appeal to those interested in current social and economic issues, public policy, history, employment, financial wellbeing and understanding how previous generations responded to periods of economic pressure.

The event will also be relevant to young adults who are looking for opportunities to discuss contemporary cost-of-living challenges in a social, interactive and engaging setting.

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