A Cultural History of Poverty
Volumes 1-6
A Cultural History of Poverty
Volumes 1-6
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Description
What have been the causes and consequences of poverty in society through the ages? How has poverty been portrayed and understood? And how has this understanding differed according to time and place?
In a work that spans 2,500 years these ambitious questions are addressed by 55 experts, each contributing their overview of a theme applied to a period in history. With the help of a broad range of case material they illustrate broad trends and nuances of the culture of poverty in world history from antiquity to the present. Individual volume editors ensure the cohesion of the whole, and to make it as easy as possible to use, chapter titles are identical across each of the volumes. This gives the choice of reading about a specific period in one of the volumes, or following a theme across history by reading the relevant chapter in each of the six.
The six volumes cover: 1. Antiquity (500 BCE to 800 CE); 2. Medieval Age (800 to 1450); 3. Dawn of the World Economy (1450 to 1650); 4. Age of the Emerging Atlantic World (1650 to 1800); 5. Age of Empire (1800 to 1920); 6. Modern Age (1920 to the present).
Themes (and chapter titles) are: defining poverty; poverty, charity, and spirituality; representations of need and want; poverty, race, and ethnicity; poverty and gender; community and exclusion; poverty and economic thought; and poverty and the body politic.
The page extent for the pack is approximately 1728pp. Each volume opens with notes on contributors and an introduction, and concludes with notes, bibliography, and an index.
Special introductory offer (valid up to 3 months after publication): £395 / $550 (full price: £440 / $610)
The Cultural Histories Series
A Cultural History of Poverty is part of The Cultural Histories Series. Titles are available both as printed hardcover sets for libraries needing just one subject or preferring a one-off purchase and tangible reference for their shelves, or as part of a fully-searchable digital library available to institutions by annual subscription or on perpetual access (see www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com).
Table of Contents
Edited by Claire Taylor (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
Poverty in Antiquity: Introduction: Claire Taylor (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA)
1. Defining Poverty: Paul Cartledge (Cambridge University, UK) and Cyril Courrier (Aix-Marseille University–CNRS, France)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Julio Cesar Magalhães de Oliveira (University of São Paulo, Brazil)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Jane Masséglia (University of Leicester, UK)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Mirko Canevaro (University of Edinburgh, UK) and David Lewis (University of Edinburgh, UK)
5. Poverty and Gender: Rebecca Futo Kennedy (Denison University, USA)
6. Community and Exclusion: Estelle Galbois (University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, France) and Sylvie Rougier-Blanc (University of Paris East Creteil, France)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: Dennis Kehoe (Tulane University, USA)
8. Poverty and the Body Politic: Lucia Cecchet (University of Milan, Italy)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Volume 2: A Cultural History of Poverty in the Medieval Age
Edited by Eliza Buhrer (Colorado School of Mines, USA)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
Introduction: Eliza Buhrer (Colorado School of Mines, USA)
1. Defining Poverty: Hannah Kirby Wood (University of Saskatchewan, Canada)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Adam J. Davis (Denison University, USA)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Anne M. Scott (Late of University of Western Australia)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Sherif Abdelkarim (College of the Holy Cross, USA)
5. Poverty and Gender: Michael Hahn (Sarum College in Salisbury, UK)
6. Community and Exclusion: Will Rogers (University of Louisiana Monroe, USA)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: Andrew Galloway (Cornell University, USA)
8. Poverty and the Body Politic: Monica O'Brien (University of Glasgow, UK)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Volume 3: A Cultural History of Poverty at the Dawn of the World Economy
Edited by Nicholas Terpstra (University of Toronto, Canada)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
Introduction: Poverty at the Dawn of the World Economy: Nicholas Terpstra (University of Toronto, Canada)
1. Defining Poverty: Stefanie Hunt-Kennedy (University of New Brunswick, Canada)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Timothy G. Fehler (Furman University, USA)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Robert Henke (Washington University in St Louis, USA)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Julia McClure (University of Glasgow, USA)
5. Poverty and Gender: Debra Kaplan (Bar Ilan University, Israel)
6. Community and Exclusion: Maren Ehlers (University of North Carolina, USA) and Charles H. Parker (St Louis University, USA)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: Mauro Carboni (University of Bologna, Italy)
8. Poverty and Body Politic: Laurinda Abreu (University of Évora, Portugal)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Volume 4: A Cultural History of Poverty in the Age of the Emerging Atlantic World
Edited by Laurinda Abreu (University of Évora, Portugal)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
Introduction: Laurinda Abreu (University of Évora, Portugal)
1. Defining Poverty: Lorenzo Coccoli (University of Catania, Italy)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Maria Antónia Lopes (University of Coimbra, Portugal)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Peter Cherry (Trinity College, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Renato Franco (Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil) and Silvia Patuzzi (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
5. Poverty and Gender: Alannah Tomkins (Keele University, UK)
6. Community and Exclusion: Megan Webber (Independent Researcher)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: John Chircop (University of Malta)
8. Poverty and the Body Politic: Antoine Roullet (CNRS/EHESS, Paris, France)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Volume 5: A Cultural History of Poverty in the Age of Empire
Edited by Brent Ruswick (West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
1. Defining Poverty: Ciarán McCabe (Queen's University, Belfast, UK)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Dawn M. Greeley (College of Baltimore County in Maryland, USA)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Ian C. Hartman (University of Alaska, USA)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Christopher Anderson Davis (Adelphi University, USA)
5. Poverty and Gender: Marjorie Levine-Clark (University of Colorado, USA)
6. Community and Exclusion: The Marginalization of Pauper Insanity: Cara Dobbing (Independent Researcher)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: Graham Harrison (Durham University, UK)
8. Poverty and Body Politic: Bobby Cervantes (Harvard University, USA)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Volume 6: A Cultural History of Poverty in the Modern Age
Edited by Richard D. Axtell (Centre College, USA)
Illustrations
Abbreviations
General Editor's Preface
Introduction: Richard D. Axtell (Centre College, USA)
1. Defining Poverty: Frances Stewart (University of Oxford)
2. Poverty, Charity, and Spirituality: Matthieu Brejon de Lavergnée (DePaul University, USA)
3. Representations of Need and Want: Amy Reed Frederick (Centre College, USA)
4. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity: Racism and Poverty 1920–2020: Stephanie Hansard (Talladega College, USA)
5. Poverty and Gender: A Cultural History: Sheila Otieno (Elon University, USA)
6. Community and Exclusion: Andrea Woodward (Berea College, USA)
7. Poverty and Economic Thought: Godfrey Gibbison (California State University, USA) and Garfield Blake (University of Tampa, USA)
8. Poverty and Body Politic: Timothy B. Smith (Queen's University, Canada)
Notes
References
Index
Notes on Contributors
Product details
| Published | 19 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Hardback - Pack |
| Edition | 1st |
| ISBN | 9781350110663 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 240 bw illus |
| Dimensions | 0 x 0 mm |
| Series | The Cultural Histories Series |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |






