Proto-Industrialization and Socio-Cultural Changes in the Cities of Slobidska Ukraine, 1760-1830

Volodymyr Sklokin's research focuses on the influence of economic development, in particular various forms of proto-industrialization, on the social and cultural changes that took place in the cities of Sloboda Ukraine during the period of 1760 to the 1830’s. The following main questions will be addresses during the presentation:

• Proto-industrialization as a transitional period between feudalism and capitalism: Theories of proto-industrialization in western historiography and their critique;
• Trade capitalism and proto-industrialization in Sloboda cities;
• Dynamics of the urbanization processes in the region;
• City and village in Sloboda Ukraine: The role of objective and subjective factors in ascribing the status of "city;"
• Kharkiv as the capital of Sloboda Ukraine: Reasons for the raise in status and the specifics of its development;
• The transformation of early modern Ukrainian society into a society that is modern, industrialized and urbanized: The question of choosing an analytical perspective.