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Enlightenment in a Smart City: Edinburgh's Civic Development, 1660-1750
Why did Enlightenment happen in Edinburgh?
This is a study of Enlightenment in Edinburgh like no other. Using data and models provided by urban innovation and Smart City theory, it pinpoints the distinctive features that made Enlightenment in the Scottish capital possible.
In a journey packed with evidence and incident, Murray Pittock explores various civic networks – such as the newspaper and printing businesses, the political power of the gentry and patronage networks, as well as the pub and coffee-house life – as drivers of cultural change. His analysis reveals that the attributes of civic development, which lead to innovation and dynamism, were at the heart of what made Edinburgh a smart city of 1700.
Key Features
*Defines what we mean by ‘Enlightenment’ in general and ‘Scottish Enlightenment’ in particular
*Uses modern innovation and smart city theory to understand Edinburgh in 1700
*Identifies the cosmopolitan nature of Enlightenment Edinburgh
*Identifies Edinburgh ‘firsts’ and early innovations
This is a study of Enlightenment in Edinburgh like no other. Using data and models provided by urban innovation and Smart City theory, it pinpoints the distinctive features that made Enlightenment in the Scottish capital possible.
In a journey packed with evidence and incident, Murray Pittock explores various civic networks – such as the newspaper and printing businesses, the political power of the gentry and patronage networks, as well as the pub and coffee-house life – as drivers of cultural change. His analysis reveals that the attributes of civic development, which lead to innovation and dynamism, were at the heart of what made Edinburgh a smart city of 1700.
Key Features
*Defines what we mean by ‘Enlightenment’ in general and ‘Scottish Enlightenment’ in particular
*Uses modern innovation and smart city theory to understand Edinburgh in 1700
*Identifies the cosmopolitan nature of Enlightenment Edinburgh
*Identifies Edinburgh ‘firsts’ and early innovations
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Murray Pittock
59 books19 followersMurray G.H. Pittock FRSE is a cultural historian, Bradley Professor of Literature and Pro Vice Principal (Special Projects) at the University of Glasgow.
He was previously Professor of Scottish and Romantic Literature and Deputy Head of Arts at the University of Manchester, the first professor of Scottish Literature at an English university. He has been a visiting fellow at universities worldwide including: New York University (2015), Notre Dame (2014), Charles University, Prague (2010); Trinity College, Dublin (2008); the University of Wales in advanced Welsh and Celtic studies (2002), and Yale (1998, 2000–01).
He was previously Professor of Scottish and Romantic Literature and Deputy Head of Arts at the University of Manchester, the first professor of Scottish Literature at an English university. He has been a visiting fellow at universities worldwide including: New York University (2015), Notre Dame (2014), Charles University, Prague (2010); Trinity College, Dublin (2008); the University of Wales in advanced Welsh and Celtic studies (2002), and Yale (1998, 2000–01).
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January 20, 2020
I requested this from a library in Missouri (I think?) but it was not what I expected. It's fairly dense and there is a lot of CYA academic language, and references that I am not specialized enough to recognize BUT after the excruciating intro, the chapters with the actual details compiled from primary source documents were fascinating! A little bit of what I was trying to find out from E F Thompson's History of the Working Class was in here for Edinburgh, although Pittock mostly focuses on nobility and their innovations...bottom line, lots of great concrete detail to inspire 18th century settings. Will I need it?? Who knows! LOL
Displaying 1 of 1 review