Métiers d’art itinérants : artisans en migration (France et espace alpin, xviie-xixe siècle)

Abstract

The purpose of this thematic dossier is to understand, in a context of migration, the nature of the social dynamics at work in urban and rural areas around itinerant crafts or those practised by migrant craftsmen, particularly Italians. The chronology envisaged includes the modern period – although the Italian presence in France during the Renaissance was largely documented by the bibliography, the 17th and 18th centuries are much less so, as was the first half of the 19th century, marked by the arrival and settlement of many emigrant craftsmen. This introduction examines several points: after a brief presentation of the subject of study and a non-exhaustive review of the bibliography, it aims to focus on the frameworks of current thinking, starting from the analysis of social networks, the study of cultural transfers and convergent approaches. We will discuss the value of these new tools as well as the complementary contributions of the methodologies used by the authors of this issue to capture interpersonal relationships within communities formed by migrant artisans.

Keywords

• Italy
• migration
• France
• knowledge
• Europe
• Languedoc