Le renouveau de l’histoire du parrainage aux époques moderne et contemporaine en France

Abstract

Since fifteen years, interest in the history of godparenthood in the Early Modern and Modern periods has been growing in France. In the 1970s and 1980s, this thematic was only studied by anthropologists or historical anthropologist. Nowadays, studies are mainly coming from social historians of the family and kinship or historical demographers. These researchers remind that until the 20th century godparenthood was considered as real kinship —a spiritual one— in Catholic societies. They also use godparenthood as a relevant tool to analyze the building of social and familial networks in the past. This article provides an overall review of recent historical research on godparenthood in France since the 16th century. Two main topics have been studied. The first subject is the historical variations of godparenthood models, in particular the transition from the traditional one which allowed for multiple godparents to the new couple model imposed by Tridentine law. The second topic is the increase of
choices of godfathers and godmothers from within kin. Contrary to conclusions of anthropological studies in the 1970s and 1980s, recent historical researches, using serial methodology, suggest that the reorientation of choices toward kinship occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries in France. This trend is a new element suggesting a “familialisation” of social relationships in this period, contrary to the sociological tradition which ties “modernization” process and weakening of family and kin.

http://dx.doi.org/10.15304/ohm.24.2748