The Emergence of the English

This book takes a critical approach to the assumption that the origins of the English can be found in fifth- and sixth-century immigration from north-west Europe. It begins by evaluating the primary evidence, and discussing the value of ethnicity in historical explanation. The author proposes an alternative explanatory model that sets short- and medium-term events and processes in the context of the longue durée, illustrated here through the agricultural landscape. She concludes that the origins of the English should rather be sought among late Romano-British communities, evolving, adapting, and innovating in a new, post-imperial context. Though focusing on England between the fifth and seventh centuries, this volume explores themes of universal interest--the role of immigration in cultural transformation; the importance of the landscape as a mnemonic for cultural change; and the utility of a common property rights approach as an analytical tool.

Author: Susan Oosthuizen
Publisher: ARC Humanities Press
Published: 04/30/2019
Pages: 148
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.30lbs
Size: 7.00h x 4.30w x 0.40d
ISBN13: 9781641891271
ISBN10: 1641891270
BISAC Categories:
- History | Europe | Medieval
- History | Historical Geography
- History | Social History

About the Author
Susan Oosthuizen================Susan Oosthuizen is Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Historical Society.