Introduction: Local Communities in Austria-Hungary and Beyond

Abstract

The topic proposed for this issue of Acta Poloniae Historica revolves around local elites during the modern period. While urban centres of elites were most prominent at that time, the theme is not confined to them alone. It fits into a broader trend of examining the pre-First World War modernising states through the lens of localness. Our central idea is to emphasise localness as a distinct dimension of culture and a particular framework for social communication, including competition or cooperation.