Women in Britain: Voices and Perspectives from Twentieth Century History

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The 'short twentieth century', covered by 'Women in Britain 1914-2000' saw momentous changes in women's history. The period 1914-1960 belonged to the 'long Victoria era' and while there were changes in attitudes to sexuality and a gradual advance towards the winning of equal rights - all aided by modernity in various forms including mass-consumption and the influence of the mass media - still the dominant position of the male breadwinner remained intact. However, the second period from 1960 was an age of radical relaxation in sexual discipline and the decline of the male role, and a new phase in the struggle for equality, marked by new elements such as ethnic and minority feminism. The Reader contains a selection of original and seminal sources and the invaluable introduction gives state-of-the-art historiography and summaries, and guides the student through all the aspects of the history of the 'women's movement' and analyses key historical questions, such as the nature of 'first wave' and 'second wave' feminism.

Reviews

A century of change and continuity in women's lives is masterfully narrated by Janet Howarth in this excellent book. We grasp the myriad meanings of being a woman in twentieth-century Britain through the words of politicians and policy makers, feminists and agitators, social investigators and sociologists, novelists and poets, and we hear women's own voices in every key. Howarth's selection of texts offers a tantalising flavour of the rich resources available for exploring women's history, covering every subject from motherhood and work to politics and sexuality. Prefaced with a superb essay by the author synthesising major themes in the recent scholarship, Women in Britain is highly recommended for anyone teaching or studying this intriguing and capacious subject. -- Helen McCarthy, University Lecturer in Modern British History, University of Cambridge
An invaluable asset for students studying contemporary British history. Informative and timely, it portrays the rich diversity of womens lives during this period. -- June Purvis, Professor of Womens and Gender History (Emerita), University of Portsmouth
Essential for any serious historian of the social history of modern Britain. -- Sue Bruley, Reader in Modern History, University of Portsmouth

Author Bio

Janet H. Howarth is Emeritus Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, specialising in the history of the women's movement and the history of education in modern Britain.