Why bling booms when austerity rises

Seán Williams, a leading cultural historian examines why luxury has fascinated and enraged from the 18th century to today

Proms Plus: Beethoven's 9th Symphony

Presenter Seán Williams discusses Beethoven the man and his time. Through a series of readings we learn what inspired the composer’s great work, and we encounter cultural life around 1800. 

The Rise and Fall of the Hairdresser

New Generation Thinker Seán Williams considers the depiction
of hairdressers in prints and prose and the role they have played
in society, from ETA Hoffman to Balzac and beyond.

E.T.A. Hoffmann and the Hairdresser around 1800

Seán Williams examines the hairdresser as a character of society and literature around 1800, in an open-access academic article.

Taylor & Francis Online