The importance and character of exchange in the Carolingian period has long been a subject of academic debate. There is much discussion on the relative importance of local, regional and... Show moreThe importance and character of exchange in the Carolingian period has long been a subject of academic debate. There is much discussion on the relative importance of local, regional and international exchange, the role of various groups of actors, and the nature of exchange. What is largely lacking is a consideration of non-elite rural dwellers as constitutive elements in the economy. The present study focusses on the role of rural communities in the development of exchange systems during the Carolingian period. To what extent did the consumptive preferences of rural communities influence the flow of goods at a regional and interregional level? This is examined by cataloguing the finds from Carolingian sites in the Netherlands and comparing their distributions between regions. It can be demonstrated that rural dwellers indeed played a part in developments in the production and distribution of goods. At the same time the conducted analyses do not allow the establishment of a single model of how rural dwellers participated in exchange networks of the period. In fact, this study contends that there is little meaning in determining the relative importance of different groups in society for the establishment and maintenance of exchange networks at any one time. Show less
Studying the connections between the coasts and hinterlands is crucial to understanding histories of the early modern Indian Ocean empires of the Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals and Manchus. The Mughal... Show moreStudying the connections between the coasts and hinterlands is crucial to understanding histories of the early modern Indian Ocean empires of the Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals and Manchus. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s southern campaigns (1682-1707) were part of the Mughal project of integrating the coasts with the heartland of the empire. This dissertation studies the impact that Aurangzeb’s southern campaigns had on the economy of Coromandel, a major textile producing and exporting region of the erstwhile Indian Ocean where the VOC (Dutch East India Company) had extensive commercial stakes. Instead of causing a decline, Aurangzeb’s southern campaigns transformed Coromandel’s economy by reorienting economic centres. The impact of wars was different across Coromandel. In northern Coromandel, Masulipatnam lost its position of a regional entrepot in the Bay of Bengal, while better food security in southern Coromandel – thanks to good rice harvests in the Kaveri delta – helped the region remain immune to the destabilizing effects of wars and attracted textile weavers from the north. The biggest effect of Aurangzeb’s southern campaigns was the relative rise of the port cities of southern Coromandel. Show less
In this thesis Marcelo Gerona and Silvana Sosa undertake an analysis of the Great Depression (1928-1934) in a sample of three highly interconnected South American countries: Argentina, Brazil and... Show moreIn this thesis Marcelo Gerona and Silvana Sosa undertake an analysis of the Great Depression (1928-1934) in a sample of three highly interconnected South American countries: Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay (ABU). The problem tackled in this work is the relative vulnerabilities of ABU, which contributed to the strong impact of the Great Depression, as well as the nature of the policy responses to the economic emergency. In this context, the hypothesis is that ABU were highly vulnerable to the Great Depression, and among them the smallest country, Uruguay, was the most vulnerable of all. This research is original not only for having assessed jointly these three scarcely analysed countries from a historical-comparative perspective during this uneasy period of time, but also because of the introduction of a new eclectic conception of ‘complex vulnerability’ that involves many paradigms and points of view. Furthermore, the historic research along with a comparative reference to the Financial Crisis of 2008 helps the reader to understand the role of the semi-periphery, in an effort that is appealing for both historians and policymakers worldwide. Show less
Op de lijst van potentiële 'hot topics' voor de komende EU-verkiezingen vinden we vergrijzing, economische malaise en de vraag met welke maatregelen Europa's lage geboortecijfers opgekrikt kunnen... Show moreOp de lijst van potentiële 'hot topics' voor de komende EU-verkiezingen vinden we vergrijzing, economische malaise en de vraag met welke maatregelen Europa's lage geboortecijfers opgekrikt kunnen worden. De problematiek van de nog verse 21ste eeuw. Maar die is niet zonder precedenten volgens oud-historici gespecialiseerd in de sociaal-economische en demografische geschiedenis van Romeins Italië. De laatste twee eeuwen voor Christus, toen Rome van een stadstaatje tot een wereldrijk werd, waren roerige tijden voor de burgers van Italië. Zij werden betrokken in oorlogen, waren getuige van grootscheepse politieke veranderingen en leefden met snel groeiende immigranten en slaven in een nog sneller verstedelijkende samenlevering, volop dynamiek, dus. Lang werd gedacht dat het bestaan van de 'oude kern' van Romeinen temidden van deze hectiek van meerdere kanten af werd uitgehold. Met, inderdaad, economische maliase en vergrijzing en ontvolking als gevolg. Deze dissertatie betoogt echter dat het allemaal wel meeviel. Terwijl burgers met in name de landbouwsector in de regio rond Rome getroffen werd, groeiden de kansen in andere sectoren van de Romeinse economie. Gunstige klimaatomstandigheden en de voordelen van imperialise verzachten de problematiek. De economische schade bleef, met andere woorden, beperkt. En die baby's dan? Hier speelden specifieke culturele en sociale omstandigheden een rol. Een 'mamacultuur'en het dorpsleven met familie en buren nabij, ondervingen een goed deel van de potentieel nagatieve gevolgen van armoede voor het Romeinse geboortecijfer. Deze en andere factoren doen vermoeden dat de periode zelfs, in tegenstelling tot wat eerder gedacht werd, ruimte liet voor bevolkingsgroei. Een gedachte die aansluiting vindtin een nieuwe interpretatie van de met raadsels omgeven volkstellingscijfers van Rome's eerste keizer, Augustus. Doemdenkers en pessimisten onder oudere generaties oud-historici lijken daarmee door de geschiedenis te worden ingehaald. Een geruststellend lichtpuntje anno 2009 Show less
This thesis discusses ager publicus, a kind of public land specific to the Roman Republic. Although many works have been devoted to this kind of land, there is as yet no book which investigates in... Show moreThis thesis discusses ager publicus, a kind of public land specific to the Roman Republic. Although many works have been devoted to this kind of land, there is as yet no book which investigates in depth its role in the society, economy, and politics of the Roman Republic. Many aspects of the history of this type of land are still hotly debated, from its development in the early Republic and the legal rights that could be held on it by Roman citizens and allies, to its role in the developments of the second century BC and the Gracchan period. This book aims to fill the gaps in our knowledge by giving a comprehensive overview of the history of ager publicus in the Roman Republic. By discussing ager publicus in its wider context and connecting it to such themes as population growth and proletarianization, its importance in the Republic will become clear. At the same time the legal developments concerning this land will be discussed in a new light, by putting the relevant laws in their social context. The thesis shows that the privatization of this land in the late third and second centuries BC was direct result of growing pressure on the land as a result of population growth and an increase in agricultural production for the market. Show less
Since the mid-eighties, Cameron has been going through a serious economic crisis. In the same years it has witnessed the proliferation and flourishing of Pentecostal groups-most of them coming in... Show moreSince the mid-eighties, Cameron has been going through a serious economic crisis. In the same years it has witnessed the proliferation and flourishing of Pentecostal groups-most of them coming in from Nigeria and with a gospel of prosperity as opposed to the gospel of asceticism of classical Pentecostalism. Earlier Pentecostal groups, which had adopted asceticism, are shifting to this new gospel. The rise and spread of Pentecostalism during this period of the crisis, coupled with the mass defection from the established churches could be interpreted as a public sign of dissatisfaction by Christians with the way the established churches have gone about addressing the spiritual and material needs of their followers. As a strategy of not loosing members to Pentecostal groups, mainline churches are gradually adopting the attractive doctrines and practices of Pentecostal groups. Within this period, Cameroon has also been going through a difficult democratization process, which most observers and the public attribute to government__s reluctance to introduce genuine democratic institutions. Mainline churches have been at the forefront of efforts to see a truly democratic society take root in Cameroon. While these churches are making this contribution, Pentecostal churches maintain a more or less neutral position on political issues. Show less
Globalisation is affecting daily life almost everywhere, so it seemed logical when the 2005 UN Report on the World Social Situation, The Inequality Predicament, reported that economic inequality is... Show moreGlobalisation is affecting daily life almost everywhere, so it seemed logical when the 2005 UN Report on the World Social Situation, The Inequality Predicament, reported that economic inequality is dramatically increasing in Asia, as it has been in the rest of the world. This trend is embedded in spatial and social patterns reproduced over the last two centuries - patterns that comprise a deeper, more pervasive 'inequality predicament' than the UN dares to recognise. Show less
Pop culture has become a major South Korean export. Only superlatives seem to apply to its popularity and sales in Asia. Superlatives also describe the scale on which illegal copies are sold, and... Show morePop culture has become a major South Korean export. Only superlatives seem to apply to its popularity and sales in Asia. Superlatives also describe the scale on which illegal copies are sold, and the speed with which they appear. Show less
Within days of the 9/11 attacks, American authorities prepared to wage war on terror on both financial and military fronts. As the Taliban fled Kabul in the face of advancing American forces, US... Show moreWithin days of the 9/11 attacks, American authorities prepared to wage war on terror on both financial and military fronts. As the Taliban fled Kabul in the face of advancing American forces, US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill announced he was forging a global alliance through which 'we are going to pursue the financiers of terrorism like they've never been pursued before.' His target, however, was as shadowy as al-Qaida itself: the informal system of international money transfer known as hawala. Show less
Located at a strategic Asian crossroads, Burma (Myanmar) is one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries. Surrounded by Bangladesh, China, India, Laos and Thailand, it is also one of the... Show moreLocated at a strategic Asian crossroads, Burma (Myanmar) is one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries. Surrounded by Bangladesh, China, India, Laos and Thailand, it is also one of the most strife-torn and lawless along its 3,650-mile border. Its post-colonial experience exemplifies how illicit economies, insurgent or military-based politics and cross-border human movement can flourish in the wake of failed attempts to create a modern nation-state. Show less
