New Books in Western European Studies

Elwin Hofman joins Jana Byars to talk about the volume he edited with Magaly Rodríguez García & Pieter Vanhees, The Business of Pleasure: A History of Paid Sex in the Heart of Europe (Leuven UP, 2022). In 2022, the Belgian parliament made a landmark decision by approving the decriminalisation of sex work. This move positioned the small nation as the first country in Europe - and the second globally - to abandon the hypocrisy of tolerance. Yet this was not the first time paid sex in Belgium gained international notoriety. The bathhouses of the fifteenth-century 'frows of Flanders' were well-known throughout Europe. In the nineteenth century, Belgium faced international outrage as the alleged epicentre of white slavery. Although Belgians were then accused of forcing white women into prostitution, they were also free to include any suspect women in the prostitution registers of colonial Congo. Throughout the First and Second World Wars, both allied and German soldiers sought relief in Belgian brothels. The Business of Pleasure presents the compelling life stories of sex workers and their interactions with authorities, clients and pimps. Pushing beyond stereotypes, this history of commercial sex offers a nuanced understanding of the difficulties and opportunities associated with paid sex for women, men and trans persons past and present. Contributors: Elwin Hofman (Utrecht University), Magaly Rodríguez García (KU Leuven), Pieter Vanhees (former researcher KU Leuven), Jelle Haemers (KU Leuven), Amandine Lauro (Université libre de Bruxelles), Maarten Loopmans (KU Leuven), Ilias Loopmans (MA history student at University of Antwerp), Sonia Verstappen (former sex worker). English translation of 'Seks voor geld. Een geschiedenis van prostitutie in België', Elwin Hofman, Magaly Rodríguez García & Pieter Vanhees (red.), (Amsterdam: Prometheus, 2022) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Matthijs Lok, a Senior Lecturer in Modern European History at the University of Amsterdam, dives into his book exploring conservatism and Enlightenment. He traces the historical 'decline of Europe' trope to its political roots in the 18th century. Lok defines 'historical Europeanism' and profiles counter-revolutionaries like François-Xavier de Fela, highlighting their paradoxical use of Enlightenment tools. He discusses nationalism's evolution and the Vienna Order as a peace project, all while offering cautionary insights on today's political polarization.

Professor Anna Sergi, a criminologist from Calabria, dives deep into the complexities of recognizing the ‘ndrangheta abroad. She discusses the mafia's transnational behaviors and challenges stereotypes linking ethnicity to criminality. Anna critiques the biases in law enforcement methods, emphasizing the significance of kinship and reputation in mafia structures. She shares practical tools for identifying organized crime members without bias and explores how values of honor are passed through generations. This enlightening conversation sheds light on the ever-evolving nature of organized crime.

Sheiba Kian Kaufman, Assistant Professor of English at Saddleback College and expert on Shakespeare and Persian culture, delves into her book on early modern English drama. She explores how Persian monarchs reflect concepts of cosmopolitanism and hospitality in literature. Kaufman discusses theatrical hospitality, interprets Edgar in *King Lear* as embodying Persian ethics, and analyzes Elizabethan plays that illustrate intercultural marriages and tolerance under Persian influence. Her unique perspective reimagines the narratives of tolerance and diversity in the Renaissance.

Rachel Midura joins Jana Byars to talk about Postal Intelligence: The Tassis Family and Communications Revolution in Early Modern Europe (Cornell UP, 2025) connects and situates histories of the post and government intelligence alongside print technology and state power in the wider context of the early modern communications revolution. In the sixteenth century, postal services became central to domestic governance and foreign policy enterprises, extended government reach and surveillance, and offered new control over the public sphere. Rachel Midura focuses on the Tassis family, members of which served as official postmasters to the dukes of Milan, the pope, Spanish kings, and Holy Roman emperors. Using administrative records and family correspondence, she follows the Tassis family, their agents, and their rivals as their influence expanded from northern Italy across Europe. Postal Intelligence shows how postmasters and postmistresses were key players in early modern diplomacy, commerce, and journalism, whose ultimate success depended on both administrative ingenuity and strategic ambiguity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, the West has been in crisis. Social unrest, political polarization, and the rise of other great powers—especially China—threaten to unravel today’s Western-led world order. Many fear this would lead to global chaos. But the West has never had a monopoly on order.Surveying five thousand years of global history, political scientist Amitav Acharya reveals that world order—the political architecture enabling cooperation and peace among nations—existed long before the rise of the West. Moving from ancient Sumer, India, Greece, and Mesoamerica, through medieval caliphates and Eurasian empires into the present, Acharya shows that humanitarian values, economic interdependence, and rules of inter-state conduct emerged across the globe over millennia. History suggests order will endure even as the West retreats. In fact, the end of Western dominance offers us the opportunity to build a better world, where non-Western nations find more voice, power, and prosperity. Instead of fearing the future, the West should learn from history and cooperate with the Rest to forge a more equitable order. Amitav Acharya is the UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance and Distinguished Professor at the School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Jürgen Zimmerer, a Professor of Global History and head of Hamburg’s post-colonial legacy research center, discusses pivotal themes from his book on German memory culture. He challenges the notion of 'ownership' in historical narratives, advocating for diverse perspectives. Zimmerer connects German memory debates to global conservative backlash, reflects on identity shifts post-unification, and emphasizes including migrant histories. He warns against the risks of Staatsräson on free expression and calls for opening public debate by acknowledging shared suffering.

Moritz Föllmer, an Associate Professor of Modern History at the University of Amsterdam, discusses his book on the quest for individual freedom in 20th-century Europe. He explores how war paradoxically created both constraints and opportunities for freedom, especially for women. Föllmer critiques simplistic narratives around individuality, focusing on the diverse meanings of freedom amid conflicting political ideologies like social democracy and neoliberalism. He also delves into the complexities of colonialism, the evolution of personal liberties, and the ongoing tensions between individual and collective freedoms.

John Samuel Harpham, an Assistant Professor of Classics and Letters, navigates the intriguing intellectual landscape surrounding the origins of American slavery. He delves into how ancient Roman laws influenced early English views on slavery, arguing that these ideas became the foundation for justifying the slave trade. Harpham discusses notable philosophers like Locke and Grotius, and explores how navigational narratives reshaped perceptions of Africa. The moral contradictions in plantation slavery and racialized justifications for slavery also feature prominently in this thought-provoking dialogue.

Stuart Carroll, a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of York, dives into the turbulence of early modern Europe. He explores how personal enmity and feelings of hostility shaped societal norms and escalated violence. From the evolution of language surrounding feuds to the role of masculinity and state intervention in France's civil wars, Carroll reveals the complexities of human conflict. He also highlights how these historical animosities impact contemporary democracy, emphasizing that enmity remains relevant today.