In recent decades historians have 'discovered' agency in a wide range of geographical and temporal contexts, amongst many different types of actor. This dissertation employs the concept of agency to dissect the dynamics of power in early nineteenth-century London charities. Concurrently, it uses charity to test the potential applications of agency as a historical concept and as a tool for historical analysis. Through case studies of five different types of charity in early nineteenth-century London, this dissertation explores the varied ways in which plebeians exercised their agency. The case studies engage with current definitions of agency 'intentional action, resistance, the defence of rights and customs, exerting control over one's own life, autonomy, strategy, choice, and voice' and test the boundaries of the concept, proposing different ways in which scholars might characterise agency. This dissertation not only examines how the poor exerted their agency, but also how philanthropists conceptualised the agency of the poor. Although agency had a different set of meanings in the early nineteenth century than it does today, Georgian commentators nevertheless discussed the same phenomena that historians today label as agency. This dissertation considers how philanthropists attempted to mould the agency of their beneficiaries and how the agency of the poor shaped charitable organisations. For all its prevalence, agency is an under-theorised and problematic concept. There is no consensus about what agency is or how to locate it. As a result, agency is a slippery concept that seems to elude meaning. Historians are often so personally invested in the project of recovering the agency of subalterns that they underestimate the structural constraints acting on agency or they project modern conceptions of agency on to the subjects of their study. This dissertation subjects agency to critical examination that is long overdue. It argues that agency, as an 'essentially contested' concept, is a powerful tool for dissecting subtle and diverse dynamics of power. This dissertation proposes and demonstrates ways in which scholars can employ the concept usefully, mitigating its problematic aspects.

Cette recherche a permis de confirmer deux hypothèses de la communication sociale selon lesquelles la communication de persuasion fait évoluer les idées et la communication engageante fait changer les comportements. Appliquée à la problématique de la mendicité des enfants Talibés au Sénégal, cette thèse nous a amené à revisiter les origines d’une ''bonne'' tradition sociale bien ancrée qui connait, aujourd’hui, une déviation économique et péjorative. Pour lutter contre la maltraitance de ces enfants, l’ONG Symbiose développe une communication persuasive qui n’a pas donné les résultats de changement de comportement escomptés chez les partenaires. Á l’intention de ce public, nous avons conduit une expérience de communication engageante avec le principe de l’acte préparatoire retenu comme soubassement technique du protocole. 2 actes préparatoires même qui sont aussi formulés l’intention d’une partie des sujets expérimentaux, pour mieux s’attaquer à une cause sociale devenue problématique, et donc plus difficile à modifier.À terme, le double acte préparatoire a révélé sa perspicacité : à souscrire le public, à les engager et à modifier leurs conduites. Des facultés d’entrainement plus intenses observés pour 2 actes préparatoires qui convergent avec le cadre théorique de notre étude et confirme que : le nombre d’actes préparatoires soutient le changement comportemental. Mieux, pour avoir eu à augmenter ses engagements initiaux, une partie du public a fait montre de changements instituants, qui à l’analyse, sont beaucoup plus (re)liés au principe de l’identification de l’action. / This research permitted us to confirm two hypotheses of action communication and societal or state approved ones for which persuasive communication makes ideas move forwards and committed communication change behaviours. Applied to the problem of Talibes children’s mendicity in Senegal, this thesis, made us revisit that good tradition deeply rooted but which nowadays is used5 for pejorative and economic deviations. To3 fight against children Talibes illtreatement, NGO Symbiose has developed a persuasice communication without behavioural change excpected on the parteners. Among these parteners we have taken in this study as subjects of committed communication’s experience which is conceived for this fact. In virtue of the promise that this form of communication has the power to bring its receptors to a change of acts. Above all if the principle of the preparatory act is taken as the technical basis of the protocol. 2 preparatory acts which are even formulated also to the intension of one of the experimental subject to better a social problem which has become a real problematic cause and then more difficult to modify. Finally, the double preparatory act, has reveled perspicacity: subscribing the public under its control bringing them to modify their behaviorus. Capacities of attracting publics more intense for two preparatory acts that link with the theoretical setting of our study and confirm that: the more we multiply the preparatory acts the more we succeed the behavioural change. Better the fact of identifying that what we are doing is positive help one part of the public increasing their initial commitment. That is the principle of action of identification.