Things which we regard as the everyday objects of consumption (and hence re-purchase), and essential to any decent, civilised lifestyle, have not always been so: in former times, everyday objects would have passed from one generation to another, without anyone dreaming of acquiring new ones. How, therefore, have people in the modern world become 'prisoners of objects', as Rousseau put it? The celebrated French cultural historian Daniel Roche answers this fundamental question using insights from economics, politics, demography and geography, as well as his own extensive historical knowledge. Professor Roche places familiar objects and commodities - houses, clothes, water - in their wider historical and anthropological contexts, and explores the origins of some of the daily furnishings of modern life. A History of Everyday Things is a pioneering essay that sheds light on the origins of the consumer society and its social and political repercussions, and thereby the birth of the modern w
This volume aims to provide a balanced and detailed survey of the complex sports and hobby industry that is cycling in France. By identifying key events, practices, stakeholders, and institutions in t
What is rock? This lively new book suggests that to answer such a seemingly simple question, we must first understand the music in its social and cultural context, including how social relations betwe
From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Chocolat, from romantic gift to guilty indulgence, chocolate has a special place in Western popular culture. But what are the hidden histories behind this lux
Forests?and the trees within them?have always been a central resource for the development of technology, culture, and the expansion of humans as a species. Examining and challenging our historical and
Forestsand the trees within themhave always been a central resource for the development of technology, culture, and the expansion of humans as a species. Examining and challenging our historical and m
Tova Navarra's new visual history of Howell and Farmingdale presents a wealth of vintage images and carefully researched information on the area's past. The book's focus on the social and cultural asp
This engaging textbook is a concise overview of a sweeping topic - American Immigration. Immigration is core to the history of America - a "Nation of Immigrants" who are diverse by definition. Beginni
This engaging textbook is a concise overview of a sweeping topic - American Immigration. Immigration is core to the history of America - a "Nation of Immigrants" who are diverse by definition. Beginni
Surveys the social conditions and culture of colonial Arkansas and explores the influence of France and Spain on the development of the region and its inhabitants
This book looks at the experiences and achievement levels of Irish-born post-war soccer migrants to Britain. It draws on interviews with thirty Irish-born soccer players, each of whom has played leagu
Aguardente, chicha, pulque, vino—no matter whether it’s distilled or fermented, alcohol either brings people together or pulls them apart. Alcohol in Latin America is a sweeping examination of the dee
Texas changed enormously in the twentieth century, and much of that transformation was a direct product of social and cultural events. Standard histories of Texas traditionally focus on political, mil
