front cover of The Undevelopment of Capitalism
The Undevelopment of Capitalism
Sectors and Markets in Fifteenth-Century Tuscany
Rebecca Jean Emigh
Temple University Press, 2008
The results of a decade-long research study by the author, in The Undevelopment of Capitalism Rebecca Jean Emigh argues that the expansion of the Florentine economic market in the fifteenth century helped to undo the development of markets of other economies, especially the rural economy of Tuscany, paradoxically slowing down the economic development of northern Italy overall.  This "undeveloping" process, as Emigh calls it, produced an advanced economy at the time of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, but created the conditions whereby much of this area of Europe delayed its full development into industrial capitalism by many ages, so that full-scale industrialization happened in other places first, leaving northern Italy behind.

As a lucid explanation of capitalism that turns back the clock even further on its birth, The Undevelopment of Capitalism makes a significant contribution to the studies of capitalism, historical sociology, and theories of markets as economic and cultural institutions.
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front cover of The Urban Questions
The Urban Questions
Interdisciplinary and Multiscalar Approaches to Investigating the Ancient Mesoamerican City
Lisa Johnson and Arianna Campiani
University of Utah Press, 2025
Connecting community, infrastructure, and expansion in ancient Mesoamerica

This groundbreaking volume presents a fresh and comprehensive look at the urban development of Mesoamerican cities. Moving beyond traditional methods, The Urban Questions adopts a dynamic, multidisciplinary approach to understanding the complexity and diversity of ancient settlements. By examining urbanism at multiple scales—from individual events to households, neighborhoods, and entire regions—it offers a nuanced view of how these cities evolved over time.

Contributors explore key themes such as community identity, infrastructure management, and the intersection of social, political, and economic processes. Rich in both spatial and material analysis, the chapters provide insights into the lived experience of ancient Mesoamerican inhabitants and the gradual expansion of their cities. With innovative archaeological methodologies and theoretical frameworks, this volume is an essential resource for scholars of Mesoamerican studies, archaeology, and urban history, shedding new light on the dynamic nature of ancient cities.
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