Intercultural Transfers and the Making of the Modern World, 1800-2000 : Sources and Contexts

For far too long, the history of the modern era has been written as a history of isolated nation states. This book which presents both interpretation and primary source documents challenges a nation-centred account, exploring the interconnected and interrelated nature of societies in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Responding to the burgeoning interest and number of courses in global and world history, __Intercultural Transfers and the Making of the Modern World__ introduces both the methods and materials of transnational history. Case studies highlight transnational connections through the examples of cooperatives, housing reform, education, eugenics and non-violent resistance. By embracing the interconnected nature of human history across continents and oceans and by employing the concept of intercultural transfer, Adam explores the roots and global distribution of major transformations and their integration into local, regional, and national contexts. This is an invaluable resource for the study of global, world and transnational history. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF INTERCULTURAL TRANSFER I.1 Transnational history versus national history I.2 The history of an interconnected world 1 COOPERATIVES AND CAPITALISM: THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE ECONOMY 1.1 The living conditions of working-class families in the early nineteenth century 1.2 Better food and profi t sharing through consumer cooperatives 1.3 The worldwide appeal of cooperatives 1.4 The fi ght against usury and for fi nancial independence of farmers through credit unions 1.5 The cooperative lifestyle in the kibbutz 1.6 Conclusion 2 BETTER HOUSING FOR BETTER CITIZENS: HILL’S WORLDWIDE APPEAL TO HOUSING REFORM 2.1 Industrialization and urban life 2.2 The beginnings of housing reform: George Peabody, Sydney Waterlow, and Octavia Hill’s approaches to housing reform 2.3 The worldwide appeal of Octavia Hill’s views 2.4 From friendly rent collecting to urban planning 2.5 Conclusion 3 THE TRANSNATIONAL TRANSFER OF EUGENICS: BETTER CITIZENS FOR A BETTER FUTURE? 3.1 The birth of eugenics 3.2 From eugenics to sterilization 3.3 Following the American Dream for the perfect society 3.4 Conclusion 4 MONTESSORI’S CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOL REFORM:FROM MEMORIZATION TO PROBLEM-SOLVING 4.1 The schools of the nineteenth century 4.2 Maria Montessori and her teaching philosophy 4.3 Friedrich Froebel's kindergarten 4.4 The worldwide interest in Maria Montessori’s teaching philosophy 4.5 Giving it a second try: Montessori’s teaching philosophy and Cold War competition 4.6 Conclusion 5 CHANGE THROUGH NON-VIOLENCE: THE RATIONALIZATION OF CONFLICT SOLUTION 5.1 The birth of Satyagraha 5.2 Coming home: Gandhi’s salt march 5.3 The appeal of Satyagraha beyond India 5.4 The fate of non-violent resistance in South Africa 5.5 The reading of Gandhi and the African-American civil rights struggle 5.6 From Gandhi and King to the struggle of Mexican-American farm workers for a fair and humane treatment 5.7 Gandhi’s non-violence and the peaceful revolutions of the 1980s 5.8 Conclusion Suggestions For Further Reading Bibliography Index Introduction : The Nature Of Intercultural Transfer -- Cooperatives And Capitalism : The Democratization Of The Economy -- Better Housing For Better Citizens : Octavia Hill's Worldwide Appeal To Housing Reform -- Better Citizens For A Better Future? : The Transnational Transfer Of Eugenics -- From Memorization To Problem-solving : Maria Montessori's Contribution To School Reform In The Twentieth Century -- Change Through Non-violence : The Rationalization Of Conflict Solution. Thomas Adam. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This introduction and collection of sources for courses on world and transnational history, focuses on the interconnected and interrelated nature of societies and cultures from 1800 onwards. Case studies trace transnational connections through the examples of cooperatives, housing reform, education, eugenics and non-violent resistance.