Comparative Approach and the Historical Representations of Towns

Abstract

The paper argues for macro-analytical and rigorously comparative approach to the study of urban representations and discusses three criteria, which were applied for the comparative analysis of city-biographies, published within 1860-1900: periodization; rise-fall topos; and notable character.

Keywords

• urban biographies
• comparative method
• identities
• periodization
• rise-fall topos
• notable characters