EH205 - Towns, Society and Economy in England and Europe,1450-1750

EH205 - Towns, Society and Economy in England and Europe, 1450-1750

(NOT AVAILABLE 2007/8)

Teacher responsible

Dr Patrick Wallis, C319

Availability

This is an optional course for BSc Economic History, BSc Economic History with Economics, BSc Economics and Economic History, BSc Economics with Economic History and BA History .

Core syllabus

The course examines in outline the social and economic history of European towns between the mid-15th and the mid-18th centuries.

Content

Towns and economic development; the urban economy: manufactures, services and domestic and international trade; town-country relations, towns and rural industry; towns and the state; capital cities; urban hierarchies and networks; social structure and social mobility; standards of living; social conflict, crime and criminal repression; population structure; women, family and work; poverty and welfare; medicine and health; religion, education and literacy

Teaching

Weekly lectures and classes (EH205). Classes are designed to discuss at greater depth topics covered in the lectures. Students are expected to prepare discussion papers for each class.

Written Work

Students are expected to write four essays or equivalent pieces of work in the course of the year.

Reading list

Detailed reading lists are distributed at the beginning of the course. The following are useful general works:

S. R. Epstein	Town and Country in Europe 1300-1800 (2001)
C. Friedrichs	The Early Modern City, 1450-1750 (1995)
P. M. Hohenberg & L. H. Lees	The Making of Urban Europe, 1000-1950 (1985)
J. Goodman & K. Honeyman	Gainful Pursuits: The Making of Industrial Europe, 1600-1914 (1988)
C. M. Cipolla (Ed)	The Fontana Economic History of Europe, Vol 2 (1979)
H. A. Miskimin	The Economy of Later Renaissance Europe, 1460-1600 (1977)
G. C. Clay	Economic Expansion and Social Change: England, 1500-1700 (2 vols, 1984)

Assessment

A three hour written examination in the Summer Term.