A01=Joel F. Harrington
abandoned
absent father
Author_Joel F. Harrington
Category=JBSP1
Category=NHD
Category=NHTB
child abuse
class
community
delinquent
deserted
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eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
family
findelkinder database
foster
foundling
gender
germany
government
history
homeless
illegitimate children
infanticide
juvenile
mercenary
neglected
nonfiction
nuremberg
orphan
orphanage
poverty
pregnancy
social programs
state care
streets
teen
thief
unwanted
unwed
war
ward
youth
Product details
- ISBN 9780226317274
- Weight: 737g
- Dimensions: 16 x 24mm
- Publication Date: 01 Dec 2009
- Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Hardback
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The baby abandoned on the doorstep is a phenomenon that has virtually disappeared from our experience, but in the early modern world, unwanted children were a very real problem for parents, government officials, and society. The "Unwanted Child" skillfully recreates sixteenth-century Nuremberg to explore what befell abandoned, neglected, abused, or delinquent children in this critical period. Joel F. Harrington tackles this question by focusing on the stories of five individuals. In vivid and poignant detail, he recounts the experiences of an unmarried mother-to-be, a roaming mercenary who drifts in and out of his children's lives, a civic leader handling the government's response to problems arising from unwanted children, a homeless teenager turned prolific thief, and orphaned twins who enter state care at the age of nine. Braiding together these compelling portraits, Harrington uncovers and analyzes the key elements that link them, including the impact of war and the vital importance of informal networks among women. From the harrowing to the inspiring, "The Unwanted Child" paints a gripping picture of life on the streets five centuries ago.
Joel F. Harrington is assistant provost for international affairs and associate professor of history at Vanderbilt University. His books include Reordering Marriage and Society in Reformation Germany.
