Description |
274 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (p. [247]-269) and index. |
Contents |
Romeo's kindred : the fragility of life in medieval Europe -- Sealed with a kiss : from acquiescence to criminalization -- Swords, knives, and sticks : the social differentiation of male fighting -- Patriarchy and its discontents : women and the domestic sphere -- Marks of innocence : babies and the insane -- M for less : the marginalization of murder, 100-1970 -- The tables turned : 1970 to the present. |
Summary |
"This book offers a fascinating and insightful overview of seven centuries of murder in Europe. It tells the story of the changing face of violence and documents the long-term decline in the incidence of homicide. From medieval vendettas to stylized duels, from the crime passionel of the modern period right up to recent public anxieties about serial killings and underworld assassinations, the book offers a richly illustrated account of murder's metamorphoses." "In this original and compelling contribution, Spierenburg sheds new light on several important themes. He looks, for example, at the transformation of homicide from a private matter, followed by revenge or reconciliation, into a public crime, always subject to state intervention. Combining statistical data with a cultural approach, he demonstrates the crucial role played by gender in the spiritualization of male honor and the subsequent reduction of male-on-male aggression, as well as offering a comparative view of how different social classes practiced and reacted to violence."--BOOK JACKET. |
Subject |
Murder -- Europe -- History.
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ISBN |
9780745643786 (pbk.) |
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0745643779 (hbk.) |
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9780745643779 (hbk.) |
|
0745643787 (pbk.) |
Standard No. |
NLGGC 310444780 |
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LWM 0745643787 |
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