Solidarity and Brotherhood in Medieval Italian Confraternities: AWay of Inclusion or Exclusion?

Abstract

Historians usually consider medieval confraternities as lay religious communities involved in devotional and charitable practices which carried out a socializing function as well. Confraternities, when seen through this lens, fundamentally appear to be inclusive communities which helped strengthen the identities of good believers and good citizens by focusing on the solidarity created among the members of the association itself. This ecumenical vision depends essentially on a positive prejudice which is automatically ascribed to the concept of solidarity, and which often leads one to forget that, though solidarity in some cases may have rationales for inclusion, in many others it can be a source of exclusion. Yet, these opposite characteristics only seem to conflict, because to exclude someone means including someone else at the same time. The aim of this short paper is to discuss these aspects, especially with respect to northern late medieval Italy, along the lines of the question posed in these preliminary remarks: were medieval confraternities inclusive communities or exclusive institutions?

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