ThethirdvolumeofTheOxfordHistoryofBritishandIrishCatholicismexaminestheperiodfromthedefeatoftheJacobitearmyatthebattleofCullodenin1746totheenactmentofCatholicemancipationin1829.ThefirstpartofthevolumeoffersachronologicaloverviewtracingthedeclineofJacobitism,theeasingofpenallegislationwhichtargetedCatholics,thecompleximpactoftheFrenchRevolution,thedebatesabouttheplaceofCatholicsinthepost-Unionstate,and-followingthemassmobilisationofIrishCatholics-thepassageofemancipation.Thesecondpartofthevolumeshowsthatthispoliticalhistorycanonlybeproperlyunderstoodwithreferencetothebroadertransformationsthatoccurredinthelatereighteenthandearlynineteenthcenturies.TheperiodwitnessedtheexpansionofCatholicinfrastructure(pastoralstructures,chapelbuilding,elementaryeducationandfinances)andchangesinCatholicpractice,forexampleinliturgyanddevotion.ThegrowinginfrastructureandmorepublicprofessionofCatholicismoccurredinasocietywhereanti-Catholicismremainedaforce,butthevolumealsoaddressestheaccommodationsandinteractionswithnon-Catholicsthatattendeddailylife.Crucially,thetransformationsofthisperiodwereinternational,aswellasnational.ThevolumeexaminestheBritishandIrishconvents,colleges,friariesandmonasteriesonthecontinent,especiallyduringtheeventsofthe1790swhenmanyinstitutionsclosedandsuccessorornewonesemergedathome.TheinternationaldimensionsofBritishandIrishCatholicismextendedbeyondEuropetooastheBritishEmpireexpandedglobally,andattentionisgiventotheinvolvementofBritishandIrishCatholicsinimperialexpansion.Thisvolumeaddressestheliterary,intellectualandculturalexpressionsofCatholicisminBritainandIreland.CatholicsproducedarichliteratureinEnglish,Irish,ScotsGaelicandWelsh,althoughthevolumeshowsthedisparitiesinprovision.TheyalsoengagedwithandparticipatedintheCatholicEnlightenment,particularlyastheygrappledwiththechallengesofaccommodationtoaProtestantconstitution.ThisalsohadconsequencesforthepublicexpressionofCatholicismandthevolumeconcludesbyexploringtheshiftingexpressionofbeliefthroughmusicandmaterialculture.
OXFORD BRITISH III COLLEGES CRUCIALLY VOLUME HISTORY
