Nicolas Salerno

My research lies in the recent field of cliodynamics, with a particular focus on the study of population-resource relations in contemporary and historical societies. I investigate how long-run transformations in the relationship between demographic groups and the resources they depend on, either for subsistence or the fulfilment of their aspirations, can generate favorable conditions for tensions within a given institutional arrangement. I draw primarily on Structural-Demographic Theory to trace how these transformations accumulate over time and contribute to institutional stress and change.

I pursue this inquiry through the case of France since 1950, developing a "geology" of French institutions by integrating the evolving conditions of various populations (socio-professional categories, urban and rural groups, elites) with the dynamics of state fiscal health.

A parallel strand of my work addresses the epistemology of interdisciplinary approaches combining social sciences and formal methods. I am particularly interested in the epistemology of complex systems, that is systems characterized by relational interdependence, multi-scale organization, and openness, and in developing a parsimonious framework for their study. Conceptually, this project draws on pragmatist philosophy, which I recruit to situate formal modeling within a reflexive and socially embedded practice of inquiry and policy making.