FORUM: Formation and Organization of Markets in Ibero-American Cities – Regulation and Adaptation of Iberian Urban Models (15th-17th Centuries)

"This project investigates the formation and regulation of spaces designated for commercial exchanges in Iberian and Ibero-American cities during the height of global trade, between the 15th and 17th centuries. It addresses a significant historiographical gap by raising an essential question: how were Iberian urban models of commercial spaces transplanted and adapted in the ""New World"", interacting with pre-existing indigenous practices and local contexts? The main hypothesis of FORUM is that these adaptations resulted in hybrid urban forms, where colonial markets functioned both as instruments of imperial power and as spaces for cultural negotiation and resistance. Structured around three key areas commerce, urbanism, and architecture the project emphasises the evolution of commercial spaces, such as squares and streets, which played a crucial role in the mercantile organisation of colonial cities. The interdisciplinary approach, combining documentary, cartographic and iconographic analysis with architectural and urban investigations, offers a comprehensive perspective on how these spaces shaped the daily life and structure of colonial cities. By reconstructing the process of implementing commercial spaces, FORUM reveals how market regulation was used as a tool to maintain social order and colonial hierarchies, while also allowing for adaptations to new economic and social realities. The project addresses a significant gap in the historiography of Ibero-American cities by innovatively investigating the interactions between European urban models and local realities, contributing to broader debates, both in academic and non-academic contexts, on the enduring impact of colonialism on our contemporary societies."