Ariadne Schmidt - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ariadne Schmidt

Research paper thumbnail of See you in court? Recht en rechtsgebruik door ongehuwde moeders in Holland en Duitsland in de vroegmoderne tijd

Research paper thumbnail of Overleven na de dood. Weduwen in Leiden in de Gouden Eeuw. By SCHMIDT, ARIADNE. Uitgeverij Prometheus/Bert Bakker, Amsterdam 2001. 333 pp. Ill. Euros: 22.46

International Review of Social History, 2002

In the``After-words'' to his book the author, David Levine, confesses that his intention had been... more In the``After-words'' to his book the author, David Levine, confesses that his intention had been to write a book quite different from the one the reader has just read. What he had in mind was``a snappy text called Forgetting the Family'',``a short history of the modern family'' that would meet the``appalling lack of depth'' in the recent sociological debate oǹ`f amily values and its regurgitated cliche Âs''. Instead, he became entangled in broad-based research into``the roots of the world we have made'' (pp. 423±427). This confession goes a long way to explaining the skewed design of At the Dawn of Modernity, which I shall try to explain in a moment. One cannot but admire the ambitious effort Levine has made to analyse a long-standing historical debate on the medieval origins of the``European miracle'' from new fresh angles. However, one is also tempted to compare his new synthesis with other recent efforts in the same direction. These include some of the best general studies of medieval society that have appeared in the last couple of decades ± books such as Georges Duby's Guerriers et paysans, Jean-Pierre Poly and Eric Bournazel's La mutation fe Âodale, and Robert Bartlett's The Making of Europe, while Levine's study also calls to mind Perry Anderson's work. 1 In my opinion Levine's book does not quite measure up ± not because it lacks scholarly depth (on the contrary), but because its composition is rather impenetrable. To test his ideas on Europe's medieval dawning, Levine chose to use an intricate analytical model that, for all its complexity, is not applied very consistently. In fact it mixes an unequal basic chronological division (the period 1000±1300 and the period 1300±1500, the former dominated by a``positive feedback system'', the latter by a``negative'' one) with a principal conceptual dichotomy (feudalism versus modernity), a change of perspective from top-down to bottom-up, and three interwoven approaches (the biology, culture and material life in the book's subtitle). The latter are described in the``After-words'' as forming a``triple helix of historical forces''. Like our genetic code, this helix is in a process of``constant recombination'' ± i.e. change ± both as a consequence of``internal dynamic'' and of constant``interaction with the variability of external circumstances''. Such a complex view of social change makes great demands on the historical narrative, and Levine has answered them by``organizing his text'' in a``cloisonnist'' way ± a reference to the technique of such post-Impressionist artists as Van Gogh and Gauguin,``characterized by ®elds of intense colors, strong ®gural outlines, and little, if any, modeling in the round'' (p. 422). Applying this technique to historical writing is like``problematizing the past by highlighting its contrasting elements'' (p. 422, n. 28). The elaboration of this dazzling design is not without some serious¯aws. One is the erroneous de®nition of the key contrasting concepts of feudalism and modernity. What

Research paper thumbnail of Illegitimate parenthood in early modern Europe

The History of the Family, 2020

This special section presents new research on the ways in which unmarried parents-particularly wo... more This special section presents new research on the ways in which unmarried parents-particularly women-negotiated illegitimacy, how they interacted with urban institutions, and what legal resources they had. Throughout the early modern period, extramarital pregnancies were an important issue of concern to urban authorities and city dwellers. In line with recent historiographic strands, the two articles in this section approach the topic of unwed motherhood from below. The articles pay particular attention to the interactions between institutions and unwed mothers, the diversity of identities of unmarried parenthood, and the agency of unwed mothers in early modern Europe. Geographically, the contributions cover evidence from cities in Italy, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. In this introduction, we contextualize the most important issues addressed in the contributions. We explain why early modern societies regarded unwed motherhood as such a serious problem and expound the concept of 'agency' in relation to illegitimacy. We then elaborate on the institutions that dealt with unmarried parenthood in early modern Europe and their possible effect on the agency of unmarried mothers. This includes the impact of changes on the treatment of illegitimacy by institutions, and the North-South divide with regard to attitudes towards unwed parenthood.

Research paper thumbnail of The lure of the city: comparative perspectives on singles in towns in the Low Countries, 1600-1940

Journal of Urban History, 2016

The editors of Journal of Urban History are receptive to varied methodologies and are concerned a... more The editors of Journal of Urban History are receptive to varied methodologies and are concerned about the history of cities and urban societies in all periods of human history and in all geographical areas of the world. The editors seek material that is analytical or interpretive rather than purely descriptive, but special attention will be given to articles offering important new insights or interpretations; utilizing new research techniques or methodologies; comparing urban societies over space and/or time; evaluating the urban historiography of varied areas of the world; singling out the unexplored but promising dimensions of the urban past for future researchers.

Research paper thumbnail of Unwed mothers, urban institutions and female agency in early modern Dutch, German and Italian towns

The History of the Family, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Terugkeer van het patriarchaat? Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis/ The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History, 2009

Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek 1 A return to patriarchy? Independent women in the Dutch Republic I... more Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek 1 A return to patriarchy? Independent women in the Dutch Republic In this article, we aim to show that-in contrast to what some recent historical studies suppose-there was no 'return to patriarchy' in the early modern Northern Netherlands. Instead, the freedom and possibilities of Dutch women increased remarkably in the sixteenth through eigtheenth century, with regard to their position in marriage and marital law, their legal status in general, and their activities in the labour market and in the financial market. Although the Protestant values and church law may in theory have been less favourable to women, we argue that exactly the less restrictive legal practice was decisive in creating social and economic opportunities for women, who could profit from and contribute to Dutch early capitalist institutions.

Research paper thumbnail of Women Alone in Early Modern Dutch Towns

Journal of Urban History, 2015

The depiction of the situation of single women in early modern urban society is rather pessimisti... more The depiction of the situation of single women in early modern urban society is rather pessimistic. Women without men were portrayed as pitiful, with migrant never-married women as the most vulnerable of all. They were said to have lacked the support of parents and of charitable institutions, and to be legally subordinated, and their opportunities on the labor market were extremely restricted. A considerable and probably growing part of the female population in early modern towns lived alone. These were women who had not yet married or never married and widows, as well as married women living without a husband and divorced women. How, then, did these women without men survive these difficult circumstances? This article readdresses the gloomy depiction of women alone in Dutch towns and examines women’s legal options, their position in court, their work opportunities, and criminal strategies. We argue that in the Dutch Republic, women had more opportunities to exercise independence th...

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction. Unmarried and Unknown

Journal of Urban History, 2015

This essay introduces a special issue on The Lure of the City that examines the attraction of tow... more This essay introduces a special issue on The Lure of the City that examines the attraction of towns to unmarried men and women in the Low Countries during the early modern period and the nineteenth century. The issue has the relation between singles and cities as its main focus. Singles were present in disproportionately large numbers in urban areas, but the question is why? This essay sets out the historiographical framework for the contributions in the issue, discusses the sources and methodologies used, and provides a brief overview of the evolution of singleness in the Low Countries. The contributions all demonstrate the relevance of a comparative approach. It is revealed that towns and cities not only attracted but also created singles, that they offered different opportunities for different groups of unmarried people and that they affected men and women differently. Finally, it appears that not every town and city was attractive to men and women without a spouse.

Research paper thumbnail of Der Haushalt in der niederländischen Geschichtsschreibung : Ehemuster, fragliches Patriarchat und häusliches Leben

Research paper thumbnail of Religion, Economic Development and Women's Agency in the Dutch Republic

Research paper thumbnail of Broken families: Economic resources and social networks of women who head families

The History of the Family, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Public Services and Women’s Work in Early Modern Dutch Towns

Journal of Urban History, 2010

This article analyzes the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucrati... more This article analyzes the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucratization on female labor participation in the public service sector in early modern towns in the Dutch province of Holland. Contrary to suggestions in other literature, women were found in a broad range of public offices, and developments in this sector did not lead to the exclusion of women in the course of the early modern period. Women were mainly employed in the lowest level jobs in the sector, and their work was barely affected by professionalization. Furthermore, the strong division of labor along gender lines prevented the exclusion of women. Specialization and diversification of work resulted, instead, in an expansion of employment opportunities, not only for men but also for women.

Research paper thumbnail of Between Wage Labor and Vocation: Child Labor in Dutch Urban Industry, 1600-1800

Journal of Social History, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Reconsidering The “Firstmale-Breadwinner Economy”: Women's Labor Force Participation in the Netherlands, 1600–1900

Research paper thumbnail of In dienst van de stad. Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis/ The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History, 2007

In dIEnST VAn dE STAd Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800 Women's work in public serv... more In dIEnST VAn dE STAd Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800 Women's work in public services in early modern towns in Holland, 1500-1800 This article analyses the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucratization on female labour participation in the public service sector in early modern towns in Holland. Contrary to what is suggested in literature, women could be found in a broad range of public offices and developments in the sector did not lead to the exclusion of women in the course of the early modern period. Women occupied mainly jobs in the lowest ranges of the sector and performed work which was barely affected by professionalization. The strong gender division of labour furthermore prevented the exclusion of women. Instead, specialization and diversification of tasks resulted in a broadening of work opportunities, not only for men, but for women as well.

Research paper thumbnail of Context en bronnen voor Mythische Mie

Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Labour Ideologies and Women in the Northern Netherlands, c.1500–1800

International Review of Social History, 2011

SummaryThe ideology of domesticity that identified women with a domestic role became more articul... more SummaryThe ideology of domesticity that identified women with a domestic role became more articulated in north-western Europe throughout the early modern period. At the same time, perceptions of work changed and a new appraisal of labour emerged. These seemingly contradictory tendencies prompt the question how women fitted in with the ideology of work. This article discusses common notions of the economic role of women as they emerged from the debates on women, gender relations, and work; how these notions were translated into practical advice in conduct literature; and with what norms women were confronted in everyday life. It appears that work was valued positively for both women and men. Women's involvement in remunerated work was not considered problematic. There was a dividing line, however, and that was drawn between work within the home, which was deemed women's work, and work outside the home, which was deemed men's work. In practice, a differentiation was made b...

Research paper thumbnail of Getting Justice: A Comparative Perspective on Illegitimacy and the Use of Justice in Holland and Germany, 1600–1800

Journal of Social History, 2018

Extramarital sexuality has always been regarded as a transgression of the accepted norms. The inc... more Extramarital sexuality has always been regarded as a transgression of the accepted norms. The increasing criminalization of extramarital sexuality after the Reformation led to an intensification of the prosecution of illegitimacy by secular authorities. But in the pluriform early modern legal landscape a whole range of judicial, semi-judicial and extrajudicial institutions and mechanisms existed to exercise control over deviant behavior. This paper focuses on the institutional setting in which social control over illegitimacy was exercised in the early modern period in Holland and Germany, working with Martin Dinges' concept of the "uses of justice." Both regions experienced several waves of criminalization of sexuality during and after the Reformation, and women were disproportionately affected by this. However, research for both regions has shown that women were not only 'passive victims' in this process, but also shaped the institutions, by actively making use of them. It has been suggested in the literature that in the early modern period Dutch women enjoyed a rather favorable position compared to women in neighboring countries, and that they were granted considerable leeway in social and legal respects. Considering the differences in the legal system in both countries, the question arises whether there were fundamental differences in the way that social control was exercised over illegitimacy in Germany and the Netherlands, and whether Dutch women were truly granted more leeway in a social and legal respect with regard to illegitimacy.

Research paper thumbnail of Janine M Lanza. From Wives to Widows in Early Modern Paris: Gender, Economy, and Law. Ashgate, Aldershot and Burlington 2007

International Review of Social History, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Tussen arbeid en beroep. Jongens en meisjes in de stedelijke nijverheid, ca. 1600-1800

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en …, 2006

Between wage labour and vocation. The work of Dutch boys and girls in urban industry, c. 1600-180... more Between wage labour and vocation. The work of Dutch boys and girls in urban industry, c. 1600-1800 Although child labour was a widespread phenomenon in the pre-industrial Dutch economy, we do not know very much about it. This article aims to expand our knowledge by looking at children's work in several urban industries in the Dutch Republic. By investigating the kind of economic activities children performed, their starting age, working and living conditions and the amount of training they received, we want to typify pre-industrial child labour more specifically. Did children's work serve as a necessary source of wage income, or rather as a vocational training for their later participation in the labour market? It will appear that this characterization as 'work' or 'training' depended largely on the child's age, sex and social background. Twaalf jaar was Françoise Loeram toen de Leidse lakenwerker Piere Blisijn haar in 1640 aannam om gedurende twee jaar voor hem te spinnen. In ruil kreeg het meisje kost, inwoning en een set kleren. Aan het einde van haar diensttijd wachtte haar bovendien een bedrag van vijftien guldens. 2 Françoise was geen uitzondering: in de zeventiende eeuw werkten vele duizenden kinderen in de Leidse textielnijverheid. Toch wordt het verschijnsel kinderarbeid meestal in verband gebracht met de opkomst van de fabrieksarbeid in de negentiende eeuw. Deze associatie is ontstaan omdat men kinderarbeid toen voor het eerst op grote schaal als probleem beschouwde. Misstanden in fabrieken, zoals lange werktijden, zware werkzaamheden en miserabele omstandigheden, stuitten op verzet bij een deel van de burgerij en representanten van verschillende politieke stromingen. De verontwaardiging leidde uiteindelijk tot tijdschrift voor sociale en economische geschiedenis 3 [2006] nr. 1, pp. 24-50 1. Dit artikel komt voort uit onderzoek verricht in het kader van het iisg-project 'Vrouwen en werk in de Noordelijke Nederlanden in de Vroegmoderne Tijd. Zie

Research paper thumbnail of See you in court? Recht en rechtsgebruik door ongehuwde moeders in Holland en Duitsland in de vroegmoderne tijd

Research paper thumbnail of Overleven na de dood. Weduwen in Leiden in de Gouden Eeuw. By SCHMIDT, ARIADNE. Uitgeverij Prometheus/Bert Bakker, Amsterdam 2001. 333 pp. Ill. Euros: 22.46

International Review of Social History, 2002

In the``After-words'' to his book the author, David Levine, confesses that his intention had been... more In the``After-words'' to his book the author, David Levine, confesses that his intention had been to write a book quite different from the one the reader has just read. What he had in mind was``a snappy text called Forgetting the Family'',``a short history of the modern family'' that would meet the``appalling lack of depth'' in the recent sociological debate oǹ`f amily values and its regurgitated cliche Âs''. Instead, he became entangled in broad-based research into``the roots of the world we have made'' (pp. 423±427). This confession goes a long way to explaining the skewed design of At the Dawn of Modernity, which I shall try to explain in a moment. One cannot but admire the ambitious effort Levine has made to analyse a long-standing historical debate on the medieval origins of the``European miracle'' from new fresh angles. However, one is also tempted to compare his new synthesis with other recent efforts in the same direction. These include some of the best general studies of medieval society that have appeared in the last couple of decades ± books such as Georges Duby's Guerriers et paysans, Jean-Pierre Poly and Eric Bournazel's La mutation fe Âodale, and Robert Bartlett's The Making of Europe, while Levine's study also calls to mind Perry Anderson's work. 1 In my opinion Levine's book does not quite measure up ± not because it lacks scholarly depth (on the contrary), but because its composition is rather impenetrable. To test his ideas on Europe's medieval dawning, Levine chose to use an intricate analytical model that, for all its complexity, is not applied very consistently. In fact it mixes an unequal basic chronological division (the period 1000±1300 and the period 1300±1500, the former dominated by a``positive feedback system'', the latter by a``negative'' one) with a principal conceptual dichotomy (feudalism versus modernity), a change of perspective from top-down to bottom-up, and three interwoven approaches (the biology, culture and material life in the book's subtitle). The latter are described in the``After-words'' as forming a``triple helix of historical forces''. Like our genetic code, this helix is in a process of``constant recombination'' ± i.e. change ± both as a consequence of``internal dynamic'' and of constant``interaction with the variability of external circumstances''. Such a complex view of social change makes great demands on the historical narrative, and Levine has answered them by``organizing his text'' in a``cloisonnist'' way ± a reference to the technique of such post-Impressionist artists as Van Gogh and Gauguin,``characterized by ®elds of intense colors, strong ®gural outlines, and little, if any, modeling in the round'' (p. 422). Applying this technique to historical writing is like``problematizing the past by highlighting its contrasting elements'' (p. 422, n. 28). The elaboration of this dazzling design is not without some serious¯aws. One is the erroneous de®nition of the key contrasting concepts of feudalism and modernity. What

Research paper thumbnail of Illegitimate parenthood in early modern Europe

The History of the Family, 2020

This special section presents new research on the ways in which unmarried parents-particularly wo... more This special section presents new research on the ways in which unmarried parents-particularly women-negotiated illegitimacy, how they interacted with urban institutions, and what legal resources they had. Throughout the early modern period, extramarital pregnancies were an important issue of concern to urban authorities and city dwellers. In line with recent historiographic strands, the two articles in this section approach the topic of unwed motherhood from below. The articles pay particular attention to the interactions between institutions and unwed mothers, the diversity of identities of unmarried parenthood, and the agency of unwed mothers in early modern Europe. Geographically, the contributions cover evidence from cities in Italy, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. In this introduction, we contextualize the most important issues addressed in the contributions. We explain why early modern societies regarded unwed motherhood as such a serious problem and expound the concept of 'agency' in relation to illegitimacy. We then elaborate on the institutions that dealt with unmarried parenthood in early modern Europe and their possible effect on the agency of unmarried mothers. This includes the impact of changes on the treatment of illegitimacy by institutions, and the North-South divide with regard to attitudes towards unwed parenthood.

Research paper thumbnail of The lure of the city: comparative perspectives on singles in towns in the Low Countries, 1600-1940

Journal of Urban History, 2016

The editors of Journal of Urban History are receptive to varied methodologies and are concerned a... more The editors of Journal of Urban History are receptive to varied methodologies and are concerned about the history of cities and urban societies in all periods of human history and in all geographical areas of the world. The editors seek material that is analytical or interpretive rather than purely descriptive, but special attention will be given to articles offering important new insights or interpretations; utilizing new research techniques or methodologies; comparing urban societies over space and/or time; evaluating the urban historiography of varied areas of the world; singling out the unexplored but promising dimensions of the urban past for future researchers.

Research paper thumbnail of Unwed mothers, urban institutions and female agency in early modern Dutch, German and Italian towns

The History of the Family, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Terugkeer van het patriarchaat? Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis/ The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History, 2009

Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek 1 A return to patriarchy? Independent women in the Dutch Republic I... more Vrije vrouwen in de Republiek 1 A return to patriarchy? Independent women in the Dutch Republic In this article, we aim to show that-in contrast to what some recent historical studies suppose-there was no 'return to patriarchy' in the early modern Northern Netherlands. Instead, the freedom and possibilities of Dutch women increased remarkably in the sixteenth through eigtheenth century, with regard to their position in marriage and marital law, their legal status in general, and their activities in the labour market and in the financial market. Although the Protestant values and church law may in theory have been less favourable to women, we argue that exactly the less restrictive legal practice was decisive in creating social and economic opportunities for women, who could profit from and contribute to Dutch early capitalist institutions.

Research paper thumbnail of Women Alone in Early Modern Dutch Towns

Journal of Urban History, 2015

The depiction of the situation of single women in early modern urban society is rather pessimisti... more The depiction of the situation of single women in early modern urban society is rather pessimistic. Women without men were portrayed as pitiful, with migrant never-married women as the most vulnerable of all. They were said to have lacked the support of parents and of charitable institutions, and to be legally subordinated, and their opportunities on the labor market were extremely restricted. A considerable and probably growing part of the female population in early modern towns lived alone. These were women who had not yet married or never married and widows, as well as married women living without a husband and divorced women. How, then, did these women without men survive these difficult circumstances? This article readdresses the gloomy depiction of women alone in Dutch towns and examines women’s legal options, their position in court, their work opportunities, and criminal strategies. We argue that in the Dutch Republic, women had more opportunities to exercise independence th...

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction. Unmarried and Unknown

Journal of Urban History, 2015

This essay introduces a special issue on The Lure of the City that examines the attraction of tow... more This essay introduces a special issue on The Lure of the City that examines the attraction of towns to unmarried men and women in the Low Countries during the early modern period and the nineteenth century. The issue has the relation between singles and cities as its main focus. Singles were present in disproportionately large numbers in urban areas, but the question is why? This essay sets out the historiographical framework for the contributions in the issue, discusses the sources and methodologies used, and provides a brief overview of the evolution of singleness in the Low Countries. The contributions all demonstrate the relevance of a comparative approach. It is revealed that towns and cities not only attracted but also created singles, that they offered different opportunities for different groups of unmarried people and that they affected men and women differently. Finally, it appears that not every town and city was attractive to men and women without a spouse.

Research paper thumbnail of Der Haushalt in der niederländischen Geschichtsschreibung : Ehemuster, fragliches Patriarchat und häusliches Leben

Research paper thumbnail of Religion, Economic Development and Women's Agency in the Dutch Republic

Research paper thumbnail of Broken families: Economic resources and social networks of women who head families

The History of the Family, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Public Services and Women’s Work in Early Modern Dutch Towns

Journal of Urban History, 2010

This article analyzes the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucrati... more This article analyzes the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucratization on female labor participation in the public service sector in early modern towns in the Dutch province of Holland. Contrary to suggestions in other literature, women were found in a broad range of public offices, and developments in this sector did not lead to the exclusion of women in the course of the early modern period. Women were mainly employed in the lowest level jobs in the sector, and their work was barely affected by professionalization. Furthermore, the strong division of labor along gender lines prevented the exclusion of women. Specialization and diversification of work resulted, instead, in an expansion of employment opportunities, not only for men but also for women.

Research paper thumbnail of Between Wage Labor and Vocation: Child Labor in Dutch Urban Industry, 1600-1800

Journal of Social History, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Reconsidering The “Firstmale-Breadwinner Economy”: Women's Labor Force Participation in the Netherlands, 1600–1900

Research paper thumbnail of In dienst van de stad. Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis/ The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History, 2007

In dIEnST VAn dE STAd Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800 Women's work in public serv... more In dIEnST VAn dE STAd Vrouwen in stedelijke ambten, Holland 1500-1800 Women's work in public services in early modern towns in Holland, 1500-1800 This article analyses the influence of professionalization and the broader process of bureaucratization on female labour participation in the public service sector in early modern towns in Holland. Contrary to what is suggested in literature, women could be found in a broad range of public offices and developments in the sector did not lead to the exclusion of women in the course of the early modern period. Women occupied mainly jobs in the lowest ranges of the sector and performed work which was barely affected by professionalization. The strong gender division of labour furthermore prevented the exclusion of women. Instead, specialization and diversification of tasks resulted in a broadening of work opportunities, not only for men, but for women as well.

Research paper thumbnail of Context en bronnen voor Mythische Mie

Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Labour Ideologies and Women in the Northern Netherlands, c.1500–1800

International Review of Social History, 2011

SummaryThe ideology of domesticity that identified women with a domestic role became more articul... more SummaryThe ideology of domesticity that identified women with a domestic role became more articulated in north-western Europe throughout the early modern period. At the same time, perceptions of work changed and a new appraisal of labour emerged. These seemingly contradictory tendencies prompt the question how women fitted in with the ideology of work. This article discusses common notions of the economic role of women as they emerged from the debates on women, gender relations, and work; how these notions were translated into practical advice in conduct literature; and with what norms women were confronted in everyday life. It appears that work was valued positively for both women and men. Women's involvement in remunerated work was not considered problematic. There was a dividing line, however, and that was drawn between work within the home, which was deemed women's work, and work outside the home, which was deemed men's work. In practice, a differentiation was made b...

Research paper thumbnail of Getting Justice: A Comparative Perspective on Illegitimacy and the Use of Justice in Holland and Germany, 1600–1800

Journal of Social History, 2018

Extramarital sexuality has always been regarded as a transgression of the accepted norms. The inc... more Extramarital sexuality has always been regarded as a transgression of the accepted norms. The increasing criminalization of extramarital sexuality after the Reformation led to an intensification of the prosecution of illegitimacy by secular authorities. But in the pluriform early modern legal landscape a whole range of judicial, semi-judicial and extrajudicial institutions and mechanisms existed to exercise control over deviant behavior. This paper focuses on the institutional setting in which social control over illegitimacy was exercised in the early modern period in Holland and Germany, working with Martin Dinges' concept of the "uses of justice." Both regions experienced several waves of criminalization of sexuality during and after the Reformation, and women were disproportionately affected by this. However, research for both regions has shown that women were not only 'passive victims' in this process, but also shaped the institutions, by actively making use of them. It has been suggested in the literature that in the early modern period Dutch women enjoyed a rather favorable position compared to women in neighboring countries, and that they were granted considerable leeway in social and legal respects. Considering the differences in the legal system in both countries, the question arises whether there were fundamental differences in the way that social control was exercised over illegitimacy in Germany and the Netherlands, and whether Dutch women were truly granted more leeway in a social and legal respect with regard to illegitimacy.

Research paper thumbnail of Janine M Lanza. From Wives to Widows in Early Modern Paris: Gender, Economy, and Law. Ashgate, Aldershot and Burlington 2007

International Review of Social History, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Tussen arbeid en beroep. Jongens en meisjes in de stedelijke nijverheid, ca. 1600-1800

Tijdschrift voor Sociale en …, 2006

Between wage labour and vocation. The work of Dutch boys and girls in urban industry, c. 1600-180... more Between wage labour and vocation. The work of Dutch boys and girls in urban industry, c. 1600-1800 Although child labour was a widespread phenomenon in the pre-industrial Dutch economy, we do not know very much about it. This article aims to expand our knowledge by looking at children's work in several urban industries in the Dutch Republic. By investigating the kind of economic activities children performed, their starting age, working and living conditions and the amount of training they received, we want to typify pre-industrial child labour more specifically. Did children's work serve as a necessary source of wage income, or rather as a vocational training for their later participation in the labour market? It will appear that this characterization as 'work' or 'training' depended largely on the child's age, sex and social background. Twaalf jaar was Françoise Loeram toen de Leidse lakenwerker Piere Blisijn haar in 1640 aannam om gedurende twee jaar voor hem te spinnen. In ruil kreeg het meisje kost, inwoning en een set kleren. Aan het einde van haar diensttijd wachtte haar bovendien een bedrag van vijftien guldens. 2 Françoise was geen uitzondering: in de zeventiende eeuw werkten vele duizenden kinderen in de Leidse textielnijverheid. Toch wordt het verschijnsel kinderarbeid meestal in verband gebracht met de opkomst van de fabrieksarbeid in de negentiende eeuw. Deze associatie is ontstaan omdat men kinderarbeid toen voor het eerst op grote schaal als probleem beschouwde. Misstanden in fabrieken, zoals lange werktijden, zware werkzaamheden en miserabele omstandigheden, stuitten op verzet bij een deel van de burgerij en representanten van verschillende politieke stromingen. De verontwaardiging leidde uiteindelijk tot tijdschrift voor sociale en economische geschiedenis 3 [2006] nr. 1, pp. 24-50 1. Dit artikel komt voort uit onderzoek verricht in het kader van het iisg-project 'Vrouwen en werk in de Noordelijke Nederlanden in de Vroegmoderne Tijd. Zie

Research paper thumbnail of (2001) Jaarboek voor Vrouwengeschiedenis: Gaan en Staan.

Jaarboek voor Vrouwengeschiedenis, 2001

This issue of the Yearbook Women's Studies explores the cutting edge of migration studies and wom... more This issue of the Yearbook Women's Studies explores the cutting edge of migration studies and women's studies in the Netherlands. Eds. by Carolien Bouw, Maartje Broekhans, Barbara Henkes, Alexandra Paffen, Ariadne Schmidt, Marlou Schrover.