Description: The essays in this collection explore significant questions regarding the terms 'radical' and 'radicalism' in early modern England. They investigate whether we can speak of a radical tradition, and whether radicalism was a local, national or transnational phenomenon. It looks at the role of migration and exchange of ideas, images and texts in the history of supposedly radical events, ideologies and movements (or moments). Offering a timely reassessment of the subject, it reflects the latest research on seventeenth-century British and Irish radicalism.
Review Quotes: 'The scholarship on the intellectual, religious and political history of early modern England presents a large use of terms such as 'orthodox', 'deist', 'atheist', 'radical', and their respective 'isms'... This volume is among the most significant contributions to clarifying the meaning and significance of one of these terms, namely radicalism, which has proven to be a 'flexible' conceptual category.' Reviews in History 'The editors of this exceedingly useful and engaging volume, which brings together some important examples of recent research on radical movements between circa 1640 and circa 1832, place a unifying emphasis on defining and situating radicalism.' Journal of British Studies 'Ariel Hessayon and David Finnegan are to be congratulated on pulling together such as interesting set of essays. To be sure, they require attentive reading and much consideration, but this volume is well worth the attention of those who study the period.' 16th Century Journal '... the detail of the research that underpins these essays makes fascinating reading and casts a light into some very dark corners of this intellectually turbulent period.' North East History '... develops this revisionist view more fully by reviewing examples of English radical thought from the mid-seventeenth century to the early nineteenth century. The essays collectively inspire reconsideration of the nature of radicalism (and, by extension, all political ideologies) both in early modern England and thereafter.' The Historian 'These essays, ranging in subject from letter writing to building a personal library, provide an intimate and nuanced portrait of English radicalism from 1680 to 1730.' The Scriblerian 'The editors do a remarkable job at surveying definitions and approaches to radicalism... [the chapters] offer new perspectives on radicalism in the early eighteenth century' The Seventeenth Century