This dissertation examines how the urban landscape of mid-19th-century Boston's North End was constructed and understood—physically, socially, and culturally—by the city's different social groups. Over the course of the 19th century, Boston's North End gained a reputation as a "slum" characterized by its deteriorating buildings, overcrowded housing, and immoral immigrant population—a stereotype that did not reflect the reality of the neighborhood's working-class residents. The dissertation identifies specific experiences, practices, and perceptions that created different understandings of the same physical space. This study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of urban landscapes by incorporating tangible artifacts excavated from domestic contexts in analyzing intangible social processes by employing a practice theory-based framework that interweaves archaeological and historical data to address social structures on multiple spatial scales: Boston as a macro-scale landscape; the medium-scale North End neighborhood; and micro-scale individual actions. The archaeological data analyzed for viii the study originated from two ca. 1850–1880 privy deposits associated with working-class North End households: a brothel/tenement at 27–29 Endicott Street and a boardinghouse at 19–21 North Square. To interpret these data within their historical and cultural context, city directory and census records are cross-referenced with Boston Valuation List tax records to compile a database of residential and commercial activity between 1850 and 1880 on the blocks surrounding these sites. The research shows how the conceptualization of the North End as a "slum" was constructed by middle-class and elite observers to assign personal responsibility to the poor for the structural poverty endemic to a capitalist economy and also to facilitate the development of their own class identities. Archaeological analysis reveals that North End residents constructed their neighborhood landscape by enacting household practices in public spaces, creating a sense of familiarity and control. They re-appropriated objects usually associated with middle-class culture by using them in unintended ways, creating new symbols and values that helped form a distinct working-class culture. By dressing and behaving in public in ways that subverted dominant social norms, working-class Bostonians used their bodies to create an urban landscape in which they and their culture could thrive.

This thesis describes and analyses concepts of criminal abortions during the 1890s. The analysis is based on source material in a court case about illegal abortions that took place in Malmö in 1892, as well as in articles wish were published in the daily newspapers in connection with the same legal case.Through Michel Foucault's theories of dimensions of power and Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis, power relations that may have played a role for individuals' actions are studied. The result shows that there was a disciplinary exercise of power against the accused women based on the way in which these are portrayed in the legal material. The interaction between the individuals in the legal material shows both power and resistance that took place within the discourse.The concept of abortion that emerged from the study shows that there was some acceptance regarding abortions as long as this was handled discreetly. There were also some understandings of the woman's actions which were considered to be based on reasonable causes. However, it turned out that the same understanding did not occur upon the abortionist who was portrayed as a criminal. Reasons for abortion were based on shame, social and economic conditions, and ideological reasons.

SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 2002 / I have long since been interested in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. I have come to realise that the many British versions need to be balanced by a more Zulu oriented approach. Therefore the purpose of this thesis is to attempt to present a Zulu perspective which I hope will encourage a popular Zulu involvement both in research and tourism. What is prominent in my thinking is bringing to the foreground the lesser known, but nevertheless, significant, coastal campaign of the Zulu War of 1879. As the campaign unfolds I will attempt to see the developments from the Zulu position as they defended their homeland from British aggfe3sion. They, especially the younger warriors, were prepared to die for their King and traditional way of life. They had a proud military tradition and were intent on victory once war broke out on 11th January.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.