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Dalit Parties and Democratisation in Tamil Nadu; History of the Elevator

Elevators: A cultural history. Laurie Taylor explores the origins and meaning of 'the lift' as an urban fact of life. Also, political militants who enter the electoral mainstream.

Elevators - a cultural history. Before skyscrapers transformed the urban landscape a new conveyance made them possible. The elevator, invented in New York in the 1850s, became a factor of metropolitan modernity on both sides of the Atlantic - forever in motion and reflecting the intimacy, as well as the anonymity, of capitalist cities. Laurie Taylor talks to Andreas Bernard, Visiting Professor of Cultural Studies at Leuphana University of Luneburg, and author a of new book which explores the origins & meaning of the 'lift'. Also, Hugo Gorringe, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Edinburgh, discusses his study of political militants in India who move into mainstream electoral politics.

Producer: Jayne Egerton.

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28 minutes

Andreas Bernard

Cultural Scientist and Editor of S眉ddeutsche Zeitung


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Lifted: A Cultural History of the Elevator
Publisher: New York University Press
ISBN-10: 0814787169
ISBN-13: 978-0814787168

Hugo Gorringe

Senior Lecturer, Sociology, University of Edinburgh


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Broadcasts

  • Wed 23 Jul 2014 16:00
  • Mon 28 Jul 2014 00:15

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