Staff profile

The concept of a ‘General Crisis’ represents a widespread belief among historians that the seventeenth century witnessed a crisis in interpersonal conflict, as part of demographic, environmental and economic crises. Initially referring to Europe, the concept of a General Crisis in the seventeenth century has now been extended to societies across the globe.

Instead of focusing on global societal, economic or political tensions, I will examine the General Crisis in regional context and evaluate the evidence for a General Crisis in North-East England, particularly the Palatinate of Durham. I will test the ways in which this specific regional society experienced and resolved crises on the ground, balancing systemic issues such as climate change and demography with the agency of individuals. The resilience of communities within seventeenth-century Durham and the reasons for variations in levels of vulnerability to disaster will be considered.