Historical Statistics of the United States Chapter on Voluntary, Nonprofit, and Religious Entities and Activities: Underlying Concepts, Concerns, and Opportunities

This paper is a draft of the introduction to the chapter on voluntary, nonprofit, and religious entities and activities slated to appear in the Millennial Edition of Historical Statistics of the United States (forthcoming, Cambridge University Press). Conceding the various problematic definitions of the "nonprofit sector," the essay offers a rationale for the broadly inclusive approach to the selection of historical statistics of institutions and activities presented in the chapter. In addition, it reviews the challenges and opportunities for researchers working on the statistical aspects of nonprofit, voluntary, and religious organizations. The essay includes samples of the statistical series that will appear in HSUS.This publication is Hauser Center Working Paper No. 14. The Hauser Center Working Paper Series was launched during the summer of 2000. The Series enables the Hauser Center to share with a broad audience important works-in-progress written by Hauser Center scholars and researchers

The Republic of Letters as a Communication System (1500-2000)

En este trabajo, Peter Burke pasa revista a más de quinientos años de República de las Letras, o comunidad de intelectuales, que cooperan más allá de las fronteras geográficas o políticas. Distingue cuatro fases en esta larga historia, que aparecen marcadas por sucesivas revoluciones tecnológicas –la imprenta, el vapor, la electricidad e Internet–, pero también por tendencias contrapuestas hacia la universalización o hacia el nacionalismo excluyente.In this paper, Peter Burke focuses on over five hundred years of the Republic of Letters, or scholarly community, which cooperates beyond geographical or political boundaries. He distinguishes four periods in its history, that appear characterized by consecutive technological revolutions – print, steam, electricity, the Internet – but also by compelling trends towards globalization or exclusive nationalism

Reflexiones sobre los medios de comunicación de masas en la Europa moderna

Este artículo muestra las reflexiones que Peter Burke se hace sobre los últimos estudios y la más reciente bibliografía aparecidos tras la publicación del libro De Gutenberg a Internet: Una historia social de los medios de comunicación, escrito por el propio Burke y A. Briggs sobre este tema. Sus reflexiones se centran y tratan la comunicación oral, los manuscritos, el debate Eisenstein sobre la revolución de la imprenta y sus consecuencias y la polémica Habermas sobre la esfera pública. Además, añade un tema no tocado en dicho libro, el de la historia de los consumidores de los medios de comunicación de masas en la Europa moderna, tanto si eran lectores como espectadores u oyentes.Aquest article mostra les reflexions que Peter Burke es fa sobre els últims estudis i la bibliografia més recent apareguts després de la publicació del llibre De Gutenberg a Internet: Una història social dels mitjans de comunicació, escrit pel propi Burke i A. Briggs sobre aquest tema. Les seves reflexions se centren i tracten la comunicació oral, els manuscrits, el deba Eisenstein sobre la revolució de la impremta i les seves conseqüències i la polèmica Habermas sobre l'esfera pública. A més, hi afegeix un tema no tractat en aquell llibre, el de la història dels consumidors dels mitjans de comunicació de massa a l'Europa moderna, tant si n'eren lectors com espectadors o oients.This article shows Peter Burke's reflections about the last studies and the most recent bibliography turned up after the publication of the book From Gutenberg to Internet: A social history of the media, written by himself and A. Briggs. His reflections treat the oral communication, the manuscripts, the Eisenstein's debate about the printing's revolution and its consequences and the Habermas' controversy about the public sphere. Moreover, he adds a subject not treated in the book, the history of the massmedia consumers in the modern Europe

Historical Facts and Historical Fictions

This article discusses the similarities and differences between what might be called two »crises of historical consciousness« in the late 17th and the late 20th, the first engendered by a combination of philosophical scepticism with new techniques for questioning the credibility of historical sources and detecting forgeries, the second in our crisis. The result is a widespread cultural relativism to which the debates on colonialism and feminism as well as the practice of anthropology and literary theory have contributed. In both periods, the debate about epistemology is linked to the opening of the frontier between history and fiction and the rise of a hybrid genre of historical novel/novelistic exemplified by St. Real and Defoe in the first crisis, and by Eco, Keneally and many others today.This article discusses the similarities and differences between what might be called two »crises of historical consciousness« in the late 17th and the late 20th, the first engendered by a combination of philosophical scepticism with new techniques for questioning the credibility of historical sources and detecting forgeries, the second in our crisis. The result is a widespread cultural relativism to which the debates on colonialism and feminism as well as the practice of anthropology and literary theory have contributed. In both periods, the debate about epistemology is linked to the opening of the frontier between history and fiction and the rise of a hybrid genre of historical novel/novelistic exemplified by St. Real and Defoe in the first crisis, and by Eco, Keneally and many others today