Chapter Local Societies and Relational Agency in Medieval Iberia. Two Avenues for the Study of Subaltern Groups

Abstract

This book was written in the framework of two research projects funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation focusing on the agency of peasantry and local societies in medieval southern Europe. This introductory paper discusses the goals, approaches, conceptual framework, and some of the major statements presented in each chapter. For this reason, it introduces the notions of relational agencies and subaltern collective action, as well as micropolitics and the arenas of struggle in which social life occurred. It is argued that this approach provides a nuanced and multiscale comprehension of preindustrial rural societies, taking into account case studies from the medieval period. Finally, some general trends and proposals for future research are suggested.