Böcker i European Culture and Society-serien

Urban life was indeed the making of medieval Europe. Drawing upon original research, as well as the work of medieval historians, urban archaeologists and historical geographers, Keith Lilley explores the close relationship that existed between the life of towns in the Middle Ages and the life within towns.

The position of the nobility depended on a stable world which accepted their authority: but, in the eighteenth century, that world was becoming increasingly fractured as a result of social and economic developments and new ideas. Since nobles were, in economic terms, an extremely disparate group, ranging from the near destitute to the unimaginably wealthy, how could this ruling class preserve a coherent identity? Was wealth more important than birth or education? How should wealth be retained or accumulated? And what role did women play in shoring up noble pre-eminence?In this wide-ranging study, Jerzy Lukowski addresses these issues, and shows the pressures and tensions - both from governments and from the lower orders - which challenged traditional ruling groups in Europe during the century before the French Revolution. Lukowski explains the basic mechanisms of noble existence and examines how the European aristocracy sought to maintain a sense of solidarity in the midst of widespread change.

Recent books in the field have tended to dazzle the reader with the latest research while leaving dangerous holes for the newcomer. Without neglecting recent work this clear textbook, taking the story from about 500 to 1200, helps the reader to understand how the Dark Age/early Medieval world fitted together, and how women fitted into that world.

The core chapters investigate:- the function of women in the countryside and towns- the role of women in the ruling and landholding classes- women within the context of religion. This practical centre of the book is embedded in an analysis of contemporary, usually male-voiced, gender theories and society's expectations of women.

Medieval pilgrimage was, above all, an expression of religious faith, but this was not its only aspect. Men and women of all classes went on pilgrimage for a variety of reasons, sometimes by choice, sometimes involuntarily. They made both long and short journeys: to Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago on the one hand; to innumerable local shrines on the other. The routes that they followed by land and water made up a complex web which covered the face of Europe, and their travels required a range of support services, including the protection of rulers (who were themselves often pilgrims). Pilgrimage left its mark not only on the landscape but also on the art and literature of Europe.Diana Webb's engaging book offers the reader a fresh introduction to the history of European Christian pilgrimage in the twelve hundred years between the conversion of Emperor Constantine and the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. As well as exploring this multi-faceted activity, it considers both the geography of pilgrimage and its significant cultural legacy.

The years between the American Revolution of 1776, the French Revolution of 1789 and the European Revolutions of 1848 saw fundamental shifts from autocracy to emerging democracy. It is a vital period in what may be termed 'modernity': that is of the western societies that are increasingly industrial, capitalist and liberal democratic. Unsurprisingly, these years of stress and transition produced some significant reflections on politics and society.This indispensable introductory text considers how a cluster of key thinkers viewed the global political upheavals and social changes of their time, covering the work of:* Edmund Burke               * Georg Hegel * Thomas Paine               * Alexis de Tocqueville* Jeremy Bentham            * Karl Marx and Friedrich EngelsLively and approachable, it is essential reading for anyone with an interest in modern history, political history or political thought.

Waite reveals how the early-modern period's religious conflicts led to widespread confusion and uncertainty, against which alleged disbolical conspiracies served to reaffirm orthodoxy. Waite argues that it was only when the authorities came to terms with religious pluralism that there was a corresponding decline in witch panics.

The study of modern racism has tended to treat anti-Semitism and anti-black racism as separate and unconnected phenomena. By weaving together the changing spatial and temporal dimensions of anti-Semitic and anti-black prejudice the study provides a fresh and more global framework for understanding modern racism.