Social networks and urban space : the social organisation of a county town, Leicester c.1550-1640
The late Tudor and early Stuart period is widely considered to be a significant period of transition in English urban society. Numerous towns have been studied in the context of the social and economic difficulties they experienced. Historians have also investigated the formal social organisation structuring human relationships in urban centres. Towns have been largely described as either stable or unstable communities. The study of urban social organisation is important for understanding urban consciousness on the basis of townspeople's everyday experiences. Recent local studies generally fail to recognise those significant social relationships which crisscrossed the boundaries of formal and informal institutions, of social and occupational groups and of town and countryside. Analysis of these aspects are particularly important in the context of middle-sized county towns, since recent detailed studies have tended to focus mainly on the largest urban centres, notably London. This thesis attempts to analyse how a heterogeneous population's social relationships were organised in a complex urban community. The first four chapters examine a range of urban experiences in the context of the regional economy, the
Kawana, Yoh
Social networks and urban space : the social organisation of a county town, Leicester c.1550-1640. The late Tudor and early Stuart period is widely considered to be a significant period of transition in English urban society. Numerous towns have been studied in the context of the social and economic difficulties they experienced. Historians have also investigated the formal social organisation structuring human relationships in urban centres. Towns have been largely described as either stable or unstable communities. The study of urban social organisation is important for understanding urban consciousness on the basis of townspeople's everyday experiences. Recent local studies generally fail to recognise those significant social relationships which crisscrossed the boundaries of formal and informal institutions, of social and occupational groups and of town and countryside. Analysis of these aspects are particularly important in the context of middle-sized county towns, since recent detailed studies have tended to focus mainly on the largest urban centres, notably London. This thesis attempts to analyse how a heterogeneous population's social relationships were organised in a complex urban community. The first four chapters examine a range of urban experiences in the context of the regional economy, the
social_network urban_space social_organisation county_town leicester late tudor_early stuart period_widely consider significant period_transition english urban_society numerous town study context social_economic difficulty experience historians also_investigate formal social_organisation structure human relationship urban_centre towns largely describe either stable unstable community study urban social_organisation important urban consciousness basis townspeople everyday_experience recent local study generally fail recognise significant social_relationship boundary formal_informal institution social occupational group town countryside analysis aspect particularly_important context middle sized county_town since recent detailed_study tend_focus mainly large_urban centre notably london attempt_analyse heterogeneous population social_relationship organise complex urban_community first_four examine range urban experience context regional_economy