To the Editor:

I am writing to comment on the "Paper Technologies of Capitalism Forum" in the April 2017 issue of T&C. At first glance, I was excited to see that SHOT was going to take up the important topic of paper and its relation to the political economy. But on reading the articles, I was shocked and dismayed to see that the work of Leonard Rosenband was mentioned only once in a footnote. Rosenband's scholarly life's work has been devoted to discovering and analyzing the making, function, and role of paper in the economy. His authoritative and original studies have had a major influence on paper in history, in its broadest sense. He is literally the doyen, the dean, of paper studies in the scholarly world. And through the study of paper, he has projected unique insights into the role of technology in society.

How is it possible that he was not included in this discussion in T&C? Rosenband has been a lifelong member of SHOT, crucially involved in learning about the nexus of work, custom, and technique; paper and government policy; and technology and the development of capitalism. Surely his work is known to you, if not to some of the issue's authors. I would hope that the editorial function includes broadening and making more accurate articles submitted to the journal, encouraging authors to take into account the whole range of scholarly information on their selected themes.

Perhaps a balance could now be made, with a second forum including articles on earlier stages of the role of paper in history. Significant work has been done on paper in France, England, Switzerland, and elsewhere in Europe as early modern economies were transformed into the modern era. For that matter, how about a foray into the ancient world and Asia? Paper and capitalism? Is it a foregone partnership?

A second forum could showcase the work of Rosenband and the other scholars who have devoted so much careful, scholarly attention to this topic. I think it is the least Technology and Culture can do to make up for a truly unfortunate omission.

With best personal regards,
DARYL M. HAFTER
SHOT President, 2001–2003