Rats, London, and Folklore

Paul Cowdell will talk about his research into urban beliefs about rats and previously-recorded folklore about rats as well as the natural history of rats and their environments.

He willl look at how rats are used to represent the Other, and how beliefs about rats change from rural to urban settings.

What distinguishes London's ratlore from that of other cities, and what it might tell us about Londoners' attitude to their home.