Guido Alfani's Books

Fathers and Godfathers

Spiritual Kinship in Early-Modern Italy

By: Guido Alfani

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Fathers and Godfathers

Spiritual Kinship in Early-Modern Italy

By: Guido Alfani

In medieval Europe baptism did not merely represent a solemn and public recognition of the 'natural' birth of a child, but was regarded as a second, 'spiritual birth', within a social group often different from the child's blood relations: a spiritual family, composed of godfathers and godmothers. By analyzing the changing theological and social nature of spiritual kinship and godparenthood between 1450 and 1650, this book explores how these medieval concepts were developed and utilised by the Catholic Church in an era of reform and challenge. It demonstrates how such ties continued to be of major social importance throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but were often used in ways not always coherent with their original religious meaning, and which could have unexpected social consequences. In particular, the book analyzes in detail the phase of transition from the traditional model of godparenthood which allowed for multiple godparents, to the new couple model (one godfather and one godmother) imposed by Tridentine law. Drawing upon a large database of archival data taken from parish books of baptisms and marriages, pastoral visitations, diocesan statutes, synods and provincial councils, it is shown how attempts were made to resist or to compromise with the Church, thus providing a better understanding of the often contested meaning given to godparenthood by early modern society. Whilst the Church was ultimately successful in imposing its will, the book concludes that this was to have unexpected results that were to eventually weaken the role of godparents. Rather than persuading parents to choose real 'spiritual tutors' to act as godparents, the choice of godparents became increasingly influenced with social status, so that godparenthood began to resemble a pure clientele system, something it had never been before. Through this long-term exploration of Catholic spiritual kinship, much is revealed, not only about godparenthood, but about the wider social and religious networks. Comparison with Protestant reactions to the same issues provides further insight into the importance of this subject to early modern European society.

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Page Count

255

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317136268

ISBN 13

9781317136262

Calamities and the Economy in Renaissance Italy

The Grand Tour of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse

By: G. Alfani

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Calamities and the Economy in Renaissance Italy

The Grand Tour of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse

By: G. Alfani

Italy faced a number of catastrophes in the long sixteenth century. This economic and demographic history follows the consequences of these catastrophes - the action of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse - War, Famine and Plague, all followed by Death.

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Page Count

270

Publisher

Springer

Published Date

ISBN 10

1137289775

ISBN 13

9781137289773

As Gods Among Men

A History of the Rich in the West

By: Guido Alfani

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As Gods Among Men

A History of the Rich in the West

By: Guido Alfani

All human societies, from prehistory through to today, have been characterized by some degree of economic inequality. Arguably, complex societies would not have thrived if they had been unable to concentrate and redistribute resources effectively. We frequently talk about the top 5% or 1% today but, as Guido Alfani explains in this book, concerns about the rich and super-rich and their potential to influence contemporary politics and society are nothing new - just take the Medici family and Renaissance Tuscany as one example. The medieval theologian Nicole Oresme's fear of the super-rich individual acting "as God among men" resonates with much of what present-day economist Thomas Piketty cautioned against in his landmark Capital in the Twentieth Century. As Gods Among Men represents the first scholarly attempt to provide a general overview of role and significance of the rich and the super-rich in the long run of history. With a focus on the West, particularly Europe and North America, Alfani's research spans a thousand years of history. He draws from a wealth of comparative data, as well as insights gleaned from the latest research in economic history, sociology, and anthropology, to show how society's problematic relationship with the super-rich cannot be fully understood without a careful analysis of the ways in which they have built their enormous wealth, and how they have used that wealth to gain influence. Alfani highlights important aspects of their behavior, such as their attitudes toward saving and consumption, or their propensity to act as patrons of the arts and of the sciences or as benefactors of the weakest part of society, to build up a profile of the richest members of our society and to trace patterns throughout history, underlining elements of both continuity and change over the period"--

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Page Count

440

Publisher

Princeton University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0691215731

ISBN 13

9780691215730

The Lion's Share

Inequality and the Rise of the Fiscal State in Preindustrial Europe

By: Guido Alfani,Matteo Di Tullio

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The Lion's Share

Inequality and the Rise of the Fiscal State in Preindustrial Europe

By: Guido Alfani,Matteo Di Tullio

This is the most in-depth analysis of inequality and social polarization ever attempted for a preindustrial society. Using data from the archives of the Venetian Terraferma, and compared with information available for elsewhere in Europe, Guido Alfani and Matteo Di Tullio demonstrate that the rise of the fiscal-military state served to increase economic inequality in the early modern period. Preindustrial fiscal systems tended to be regressive in nature, and increased post-tax inequality compared to pre-tax - in contrast to what we would assume is the case in contemporary societies. This led to greater and greater disparities in wealth, which were made worse still as taxes were collected almost entirely to fund war and defence rather than social welfare. Though focused on Old Regime Europe, Alfani and Di Tullio's findings speak to contemporary debates about the roots of inequality and social stratification.

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Page Count

245

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

110847621X

ISBN 13

9781108476218

Fathers and Godfathers

Spiritual Kinship in Early-Modern Italy

By: Guido Alfani

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Fathers and Godfathers

Spiritual Kinship in Early-Modern Italy

By: Guido Alfani

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255

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317136268

ISBN 13

9781317136262

The Lion's Share

Inequality and the Rise of the Fiscal State in Preindustrial Europe

By: Guido Alfani,Matteo Di Tullio

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The Lion's Share

Inequality and the Rise of the Fiscal State in Preindustrial Europe

By: Guido Alfani,Matteo Di Tullio

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245

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1108756786

ISBN 13

9781108756785

The Metabolism of Desire

The Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

By: Guido Cavalcanti

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The Metabolism of Desire

The Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

By: Guido Cavalcanti

Text in Italian with English translation on opposite pages.

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Page Count

150

Publisher

Athabasca University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1926836847

ISBN 13

9781926836843

The Selected Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

A Critical English Edition

By: Guido Cavalcanti

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The Selected Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

A Critical English Edition

By: Guido Cavalcanti

Cavalcanti is a key figure in the development of Italian poetry, and a fascinating character in the shadow of his contemporary and friend Dante Alighieri. Cavalcanti also has an interesting place in the cannon of English poetry, where he was an important influence on two of his famous translators Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Ezra Pound.

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Page Count

253

Publisher

Troubador Publishing Ltd

Published Date

ISBN 10

1906510725

ISBN 13

9781906510725

Ethnic Expositions in Italy, 1880 to 1940

Humans on Exhibition

By: Guido Abbattista

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Ethnic Expositions in Italy, 1880 to 1940

Humans on Exhibition

By: Guido Abbattista

Comprehensively analyzing for the first time the phenomenon of ethnic living expositions in Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries, this book deals with the subject from a comparative European perspective and over the long term, studying analogies and differences in precedents as far back as the early modern age. The research, which seeks to go beyond the simplistic concept of "human zoos," intends to highlight the intentions, assumptions, and mechanisms of realization of the exhibitions of exotic living humans and the reactions from both the exhibited subjects and the public, exploiting a wide variety of heterogeneous sources capable of bringing out a kind of widespread popular ethno-anthropological ideas and the elements of racism contained in it. The book contributes to the understanding of Western mindsets and attitudes towards human diversity as they emerge from mass spectacular events that have over time become an international business. The present edition refers to the second Italian edition, containing an update discussing studies on the subject that have appeared between 2013 and 2021. Ethnic Expositions in Italy intends to fill a historiographical gap and to align Italian historiographies with European ones, which have long since come to terms with this legacy of the past and have explored its various historical manifestations in depth. This book is an excellent source for researchers and students alike, as well as those interested in the mechanisms that have helped shape European ideas and sensibilities on race and ethno-anthropological diversity.

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Page Count

475

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

1003838391

ISBN 13

9781003838395

Book's by Guido Alfani

Fathers and Godfathers

Fathers and Godfathers

Calamities and the Economy in Renaissance Italy

Calamities and the Economy in Renaissance Italy

As Gods Among Men

As Gods Among Men

The Lion's Share

The Lion's Share

Fathers and Godfathers

Fathers and Godfathers

The Lion's Share

The Lion's Share

The Metabolism of Desire

The Metabolism of Desire

The Selected Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

The Selected Poetry of Guido Cavalcanti

Ethnic Expositions in Italy, 1880 to 1940

Ethnic Expositions in Italy, 1880 to 1940

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