What is it about?
The essay both explains and applies the political theorist Jane Bennett's ideas of Assemblage Theory by analyzing a short series of Post-Reformation parochial church practices and fittings. By doing this the paper uncovers and explores the place and mindset of Anglican worshippers within the complex networks of materials and activities which made up their religious surroundings.
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Why is it important?
Although there are notable theorists amongst the archaeological scholars of the British Post-Reformation period, Assemblage Theory hitherto has been mainly the province of prehistorians. This essay is designed to explain the usefulness of applying this theoretical technique to Early Modern archaeology and to demonstrate how new understandings of the participants of parochial ritual can be obtained by using it.
Perspectives
The Post-Reformation period in archaeological studies seems to me to be generally under-valued as an area which attracts close scrutiny either in terms of research or in the public perception. Perhaps it seems from the archaeological point of view too close to the modern world. However, it is its remarkable foreignness which has always attracted me and the application of certain theoretical ideas such as those of Alfred Gell and Jane Bennett have allowed me to approach this foreignness more confidently. This paper then is intended to clear some theoretical ground in order to enable both myself and others to dig around in what lies below.
Dr Jude F Jones
University of Southampton
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Being, Belief, Comprehension and Confusion: An Exploration of the Assemblages of English Post-Reformation Parochial Religion, Cambridge Archaeological Journal, January 2017, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s0959774316000603.
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