Cultural Revolutions

by Leora Auslander

The revolutions in the England, North America, and France ushered in the modern political age. Cultural Revolutions analyzes the place of material culture, ritual, and everyday life during these revolutions, providing a fresh and engaging interpretation of the strategies used to transform people from monarchists into republicans.The author shows how, faced with the challenge of persuading large populations to alter their previous convictions and loyalties, revolutionaries in all three countries turned to the power of aesthetics. From the banning of dancing in Cromwell's England, to the 'homespun' clothing of Revolutionary America, to France's new calendar and naming systems, Auslander assesses how daily habits and tastes were altered in the interests of political change.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, School

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[FL]

I'm not a historian by trade, but this text was shockingly readable in making its point, which is that consumer culture is an essential way to understand historical revolutions. The main premise of the book---looking at how everyday life imparts national identity---is something I can easily see everywhere after reading this text, despite the centuries from then to now.

[Aimee Reilly]

Really really interesting though I would have liked more info on women and the authors attitude to Native Americans was questionable, often really over looked the oppression of the time period