HIST 438 - The Public Sphere in Britain

Credits: (4)
Historians have long debated the rise and contours of the “public sphere” in early modern England, studying when the political process of England, which had historically been court-centered and elitist, shifted to include the middling classes and English public more widely. The course examines not only the political philosophy of popular politics, but the media of the public sphere, including cheap printed books, libelous manuscripts, and newspapers, as well as the spaces that allowed men (and sometimes women) to congregate and discuss politics, such as the pub and coffeehouses. The course also considers the activities of men and women in the public sphere, including protesting, rioting, and petitioning. Throughout the semester, students explore how religious conflict and political, social, and economic changes fueled the rise of the public sphere in England.