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Sisters of early modern confraternities in a small town in the Southern Netherlands (Aalst)

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

This article analyses female agency within the religious confraternities active in an early modern town in the Southern Netherlands in order to gain an insight into women's positions within a (semi-)public urban network and thus beyond the household. The analysis suggests that confraternities did not provide women with opportunities to develop a significant public role within the town. Nonetheless, while there is little evidence that early modern religious confraternities functioned as social networks, female agency on the religious level of confraternal life did exist. It is argued that many of these women were active agents in their own spiritual lives.
Journal: Urban history
ISSN: 0963-9268
Volume: 40
Pages: 247 - 270
Publication year:2013
BOF-keylabel:yes
Authors from:Higher Education
Accessibility:Closed