What were the contemporary views of public houses and the social good, or ill, that they represented? How did establishments relate to the other institutions common to community life in the early modern period?
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Communication, subversion and stability.
Public houses were obvious centres of communication within communities, but what forms did this interaction take and were they a subversive or stabilising influence?
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Economic interests and the provision of services
Public houses represented major economic assets and were significant employers. They also reflected local cuisines and tastes whilst often innovating in the provision of services to clients.
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Agents and interests
Who owned and ran drinking establishments in the early modern period and who were the customers?
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Typology and Topography
Defining the styles of drinking establishment and how they fitted into communities.
In this podcast series Dr Beat Kumin from the University of Warwick offers the first comparative survey of early modern public houses and their unique contribution to European culture.
South Africa