Practices of Ephemera in Early Modern England

This collection explores the term "ephemera" in early modern England, its relationship to time, matter, and place, and its wider social and cultural ecosystems. It considers how ephemera shaped homes, streets, and cities and their preservation, loss, or transformation, looking beyond static records to think about moments of process and transmutation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive collection is a groundbreaking exploration of the term "ephemera" and its significance in early modern England. It delves into the historical context of the term and its evolution, shedding light on its relationship to time, matter, and place. The book questions how we can understand ephemera in a period before it became commonly used to describe disposable print in the eighteenth century. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as objects and texts proliferated rapidly, the term began to acquire its modern association with transience. However, the contributors to this volume demonstrate how ephemera was intricately linked to broader social and cultural ecosystems.

Chapters in the book delve into these ecosystems, examining the papers and artifacts that shaped homes, streets, cities, and towns, as well as the preservation, loss, or transformation of these elements. By expanding beyond static records, the studies in this volume explore moments of process and transmutation, offering a closer glimpse into early modern experiences, identities, and practices.

This collection is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and anyone interested in the history of material culture, social history, and the study of ephemera. It provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the role of ephemera in shaping the world of early modern England, and its significance in understanding the broader cultural and historical context of the period.

Weight: 466g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367528362