Medieval Single Women - The Politics of Social Classification in Late Medieval England (Hardcover, New)

The single woman is a troubling and disruptive category. Does it denote all unmarried women, therefore creating a group which every female was part of at some stage in her life? Or, were the categories "maiden" and "widow" so culturally significant in late medieval England that "single woman" was a residual category for women seen as anomalous? Was the category "single man" used in an equivalent way and, if not, why? This study offers a way into the complex process of social classification in late medieval England.
All societies use classifications in order to understand and impose order. In this book, Cordelia Beattie views classification as a political act, an act of power: those classifying must make choices about which divisions are most important or about who falls into which category, and such choices have repercussions. Defining how a group or an individual should be labelled, means variables such as social status, gender, or age, are prioritized. Rather than isolate gender as a variable, this book examines how it relates to other social cleavages. Using a variety of approaches, from social and cultural history, to gender history, and medieval studies, its original methodology offers an innovative approach to a range of historical texts, from pastoral manuals to tax returns, and guild registers.

General

Imprint:	Oxford UniversityPress
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	September 2007
First published:	September 2007
Authors:	Cordelia Beattie
Dimensions:	223 x 144 x 18mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	195
Edition:	New
ISBN-13:	978-0-19-928341-5
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > World history > 500 to 1500 Books > Humanities > History > British & Irish history > General Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Gender studies > Women's studies > General Books > History > British & Irish history > General Books > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history Books > History > World history > 500 to 1500
LSN:	0-19-928341-9
Barcode:	9780199283415

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