Fosterage in medieval Ireland : an emotional history

Resource Information

The work Fosterage in medieval Ireland : an emotional history represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in European University Institute Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Fosterage in medieval Ireland : an emotional history

Title remainder

an emotional history

Statement of responsibility

Tom C.O'Donnell

Creator

• O'Donnell, Thomas

Subject

• Emotions -- Social aspects -- Ireland -- History
• Foster children -- Ireland -- History -- To 1500
• Foster home care -- Ireland -- History -- To 1500

Language

eng

Summary

Fosterage was a central feature of medieval Irish society, yet the widespread practice of sending children to another family to be cared for until they reached adulthood is a surprisingly neglected topic. Where it has been discussed, fosterage is usually conceptualised and treated as a purely legal institution. This work seeks to outline the emotional impact of growing up within another family. What emerges is a complex picture of deeply felt emotional ties binding the foster family together. These emotions are unique to the social practice of fosterage, and we see the language and feelings originating within the foster family being used to describe other relationships such as those in the monastery or between humans and animals. This book argues that the more we understand how people felt in fosterage, the more we understand medieval Ireland.--

Member of

• Early medieval North Atlantic

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Series statement

• The early medieval North Atlantic
• Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks