Women In Britain Since 1945

This woman-centered history of Britain in the 20th century traces the changing concept of femininity in different chronological time periods. Women are focused on as agents for social change, and each chapter has a section on the women's movement. A separate chapter is devoted to each of the World Wars. After reviewing women's progress over the last hundred years, the book explores the question: Have women gained equality?

This volume gathers together contributions from a number of recognised experts and provides fresh insights into the connection between economic performance and socio-political change since the Second World War. It gives political evaluations of the Conservative and Labour parties and analyses the changing attitudes to their responsibilities: the welfare state, trade unions, housing, defence, education and nationalised industries for example. Concluding with an assessment of pop music and youth culture, the book spans the political, social and economic changes which have defined Britain since 1945.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of Britain's development since the end of the Second World War. It comprises 23 contributions from leading authorities and newer scholars, set in context with a foreword by Raymond Seitz. A comprehensive and fascinating introduction to Britain from the end of the Second World War Draws together the themes that have dominated discussion amongst scholars and media commentators The chapters are set in context with a foreword by Raymond Seitz Covers topics such as foreigh policy, political parties, the media, race relations, women and social change, science and IT, culture, industrial relations, the welfare state, and political and economic issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The first book of its kind to study this period, Gerry Holloway's essential student resource works chronologically from the early 1840s to the end of the twentieth century and examines over 150 years of women’s employment history. With suggestions for research topics, an annotated bibliography to aid further research, and a chronology of important events which places the subject in a broader historical context, Gerry Holloway considers how factors such as class, age, marital status, race and locality, along with wider economic and political issues, have affected women’s job opportunities and status. Key themes and issues that run through the book include: continuity and change the sexual division of labour women as a cheap labour force women’s perceived primary role of motherhood women and trade unions equality and difference education and training. Students of women’s studies, gender studies and history will find this a fascinating and invaluable addition to their reading material.

Women's History: Britain 1850-1945 introduces the main themes and debates of feminist history during this period of change, and brings together the findings of new research. It examines the suffrage movement, race and empire, industrialisation, the impact of war and womens literature. Specialists in their own fields have each written a chapter on a key aspect of womens lives including health, the family, education, sexuality, work and politics. Each contribution provides an overview of the main issues and debates within each area and offers suggestions for further reading. It not only provides an invaluable introduction to every aspect of womens participation in the political, social and economic history of Britain, but also brings the reader up to date with current historical thinking on the study of womens history itself.

In the years following World War II the health and well-being of the nation was of primary concern to the British government. The essays in this collection examine the relationship between health and stress in post-war Britain through a series of carefully connected case studies.

This is a collection of essays on aspects of British women's lives in the period 1914-1945. Concentrating on women's activities in many different areas ranging from teacher training colleges to women's institutes; the BBC artiste's group to political militancy. "This Working Day World" presents a women's cultural history that is a kaleidoscope of sub- cultures, covering art, fiction, medicine, political racialism and the personal lives of women.

Long before the outbreak of the Second World War, official calculations showed Britain would be short of the manpower needed to fight the enemy and keep up production of weapons, food and other essentials. It was hoped that women volunteers would full the gaps and so they volunteered as workers in Civil Defence, the Women's Land Army, munitions factories and non-combatant roles in the Forces.But by 1941, the Government had to face facts: any effective response would have to involve conscription of British women. All females between the ages of fourteen and sixty-four were registered and soon the vast majority had work to do. They collected tons of salvage, knitted and sewed, and raised money for warships and weapons. Women ran fire stations and drove makeshift ambulances while cities burned and enemy bombs exploded around them. They kept their families going, often as single parents while their husbands were away for years in the armed forces.By the end of the war, some of the most experienced rat-catchers in the country were female; others were accomplished engineers, carters, rail workers and bargees.When it was over, these wartime roles were not commemorated in films and books. There has been little official acknowledgement of the enormous and crucial contribution those British women made to the lives we live now. Many are getting on in years and their precious first-hand memories will go with them. Their stories are worth telling now for that alone. But they are also tales of love, death, sacrifice and romance, of humour and horror, and of an extraordinary time, when ordinary women did extraordinary things.