> I don't know if life was so stable in pre-modern times. There was no
> lack of conflict and displacement of population by immigrating peoples.
Invading, as well as immigrating, and emigrating - constant patterns in
human history.
> There was parochrialism because communities lacked means of mass
> communications and, consequently, suspicion of and hostility to
> outsiders.
I would't put that "because" or "consequently" in the above.
There's no necessary (or even demonstrable) connection between not having
mass communication and being suspicious of and/or hostile to "outsiders."
OTOH there are plenty of counterexamples in the present day of communities
that *do* have means of mass communication and are suspicious of and/or
hostile to "outsiders."
John Schinnerer, MA
-------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Cultural & Ecological Designing
People - Place - Learning - Integration
john@eco-living.net http://eco-living.net