Doing Working Class History: Research, Heritage and Engagement

Harrison, Laura

Abstract

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of researching, interpreting, and engaging with working-class history is how broad the terms of reference can be. Rarely a week seems to go by without the working-class, however defined (or undefined), being the subject of debate in the news, in opinion pieces, and online. At a time of rapid technological change, of surging populism in politics, and significant debate about identity and cultural grouping in society at large, the working class, defined or not, seems a significant presence in modern societies around the world. Across scholarship, commentary, and social debate, the study of the working class seems more vibrant and necessary with every passing day.

For the historian, this outpouring of enthusiasm is both exhilarating and concerning. As in many disciplines, the study of class has been in decline for decades in history, seen (sometimes quite rightly) as a clumsy tool in comparison to new, insightful, questions about sexuality, cultural capital, race (particularly in colonial and post-colonial eras), and other ways of understanding identity amongst individuals and groups. That class history, and especially working-class history, is flourishing once again offers exciting opportunities for historians to bring the topic into conversation with these new lines of inquiry, all in front of an increasingly interested public audience.

The aim of this book is to act as a primer – an introductory text to understanding how the history of the working class has, is, and can be researched, written, and represented. Its imagined audience is newcomers to the subject, just beginning their steps into this field, but also those interested in how this history can be researched, understood, and shared.

Citation

Harrison, L. (2024). O. Betts, & L. Price (Eds.). Doing Working Class History: Research, Heritage and Engagement. Routledge

• Book Type: Edited Book
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Publication Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 22, 2024
• Publisher: Routledge
• ISBN: 9780367361341
• Keywords: working-class history; social history
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11837649
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/Doing-Working-Class-History-Research-Heritage-and-Engagement/Betts-Harrison-Price/p/book/9781032882963