Research Catalog

Title

Becoming human : the matter of the medieval child / J. Allan Mitchell.

Author

Mitchell, J. Allan (John Allan), 1971-

Publication

Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, [2014]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xxx, 249 pages; 23 cm

Summary

"Becoming Human argues that human identity was articulated and extended across a wide range of textual, visual, and artifactual assemblages from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. J. Allan Mitchell shows how the formation of the child expresses a manifold and mutable style of being. To be human is to learn to dwell among a welter of things. A searching and provocative historical inquiry into human becoming, the book presents a set of idiosyncratic essays on embryology and infancy, play and games, and manners, meals, and other messes. While it makes significant contributions to medieval scholarship on the body, family, and material culture, Becoming Human theorizes anew what might be called a medieval ecological imaginary. Mitchell examines a broad array of phenomenal objects--including medical diagrams, toy knights, tableware, conduct texts, dream visions, and scientific instruments--and in the process reanimates distinctly medieval ontologies. In addressing the emergence of the human in the later Middle Ages, Mitchell identifies areas where humanity remains at risk. In illuminating the past, he shines fresh light on our present"--

Subject

• Children > Europe > History > To 1500
• Humanity > Social aspects > History > Europe > To 1500
• Identity (Psychology) > Social aspects > History > Europe > To 1500
• Human body > Social aspects > History > Europe > To 1500
• Families > Europe > History > To 1500
• Material culture > Europe > History > To 1500
• Human ecology > Europe > History > To 1500
• Civilization, Medieval
• PHILOSOPHY / General
• LITERARY CRITICISM / Medieval
• SOCIAL SCIENCE / Children's Studies
• Europe > Social life and customs

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-235) and index.

Contents

Being Born -- Childish Things -- The Mess -- Epilogue.

Call Number

JFD 15-4260

ISBN

• 9780816689965 (hardcover : acid-free paper)
• 0816689962 (hardcover : acid-free paper)
• 9780816689972 (paperback : acid-free paper)
• 0816689970 (paperback : acid-free paper)

LCCN

• 2013037982
• 40023903863

OCLC

863196254

Author

Mitchell, J. Allan (John Allan), 1971-

Title

Becoming human : the matter of the medieval child / J. Allan Mitchell.

Publisher

Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, [2014]

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-235) and index.

Other Standard Identifier

40023903863

Research Call Number

JFD 15-4260