Overview

Muriel Casals i Couturier (6 April 1945 – 14 February 2016) was a French-born Spanish economist and university professor who spent most of her career at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She held the title of emeritus professor in the Department of Economics and Economic History and was widely recognized for combining academic research with public engagement in economic and European affairs. Born in Avignon, France to Spanish parents, she built a reputation as a careful historian of economic ideas and a specialist in processes of industrial transformation.

Academic career

At the Autonomous University of Barcelona she served in both teaching and administrative roles, including a term as vicedean of International Relations and Cooperation from 2002 to 2005. Her international profile was reinforced by visiting appointments at several universities, where she taught and collaborated with colleagues abroad. Notable visiting positions included the University of Edinburgh, the London School of Economics, and the University of Wales at Bangor. She also represented the UAB in the Xarxa Vives d'Universitats, a network linking universities in Catalan-speaking territories.

Research interests and contributions

Casals' scholarship focused on a small number of interrelated themes: industrial reconversions (how regions and industries adapt to structural change), the history of economic thought (examining how ideas about markets and policy developed over time), and European economic issues such as integration and regional development. Her work combined historical sources, institutional analysis and policy concerns, aiming to make economic history relevant to contemporary decisions about industry, employment and regional policy.

Teaching, mentoring and public engagement

Beyond published research, Casals was active as an educator and mentor, supervising students and participating in university governance. She frequently contributed to public debates in Catalonia and Spain, translating research findings into accessible commentary for policy makers and civil society. Her academic leadership included representing her university in inter‑university networks and fostering international collaboration.

Roles and affiliations

  • Emeritus professor, Department of Economics and Economic History, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB profile).
  • Vicedean of International Relations and Cooperation (2002–2005).
  • Representative of UAB in the Xarxa Vives d'Universitats and visiting professor at several British universities, including Edinburgh and the LSE.

Death and legacy

Muriel Casals died in Barcelona on 14 February 2016 at the age of 70 after suffering injuries when she was struck by a bicycle. Her passing was noted across academic and civic communities. She is remembered for bridging disciplinary scholarship and public discussion, for her attention to the historical roots of economic questions, and for helping to internationalize the research and teaching activities of her home institution in Barcelona.

Further information about her publications, teaching and institutional roles can be found through university resources and academic bibliographies that catalogue contributions in industrial economics, the history of economic thought and European studies.