Sex, Gender and Social Change in Britain Since 1880 (European Culture & Society Series) - Hardcover

Lesley A. Hall

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0333650522 ISBN 13: 9780333650523

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2000

Synopsis

Lesley Hall examines a range of specific areas in the context of the Victorian era, which saw major developments in issues of sex and gender. Topics discussed include social, political, legal, medical, psychological, sociological and scientific discourses around questions of sexuality, eugenics, birth control and abortion, homosexuality and lesbianism, venereal disease, prostitution, social purity, sex education, ideals of marriage and sexual relationship, censorship, the role of women and changing masculinities. A major focus is the ambiguous and syncopated relationship between "progressive" and "reactionary" tendencies. Secondary literature is synthesised and new archival research incorporated.

About this title

About the Author:

LESLEY A. HALL is Senior Assistant Archivist in the Contemporary Medical Archives Centre at the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine, London and an Honorary Lecturer in the History of Medicine at University College London.

Review:

'A super text which draws together a number of themes previously neglected - a good addition to any social history course.' - Yvonne Brown, Glasgow Caledonian University '...one of a few rare books which can be enjoyed by the general reader, used as an undergraduate text, offer fresh insights to social historians and indicate further lines of enquiry for future researchers...This is history written with transparent warmth and humanity - it will undoubtedly give pleasure to all who are fortunate enough to read it.' - Paula Bartley, Reviews in History 'Hall's credentials for marshalling great quantities of information on her topic are impeccable.' - Times Literary Supplement 'Excellent text, well written, comprehensive in content, accessible to students.' - Paula Bartley, University of Wolverhampton 'This is an excellent book; superbly well informed but not weighted down with detail...It is also lively and entertaining.' - Chris Nottingham, School of Social Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University 'Wide ranging and accurate coverage of complex and sensitive issues regarding sexuality, gender and social change.' - Melinda Barone, University College Salford 'There are few better people better placed to give an overview of the histories of sexuality since the late nineteenth century than Lesley Hall. As a senior medical archivist at the Wellcome Trust Library and author, she has been at the forefront of new historical work on sexuality over the last ten years. The value of this book is that it displays the breadth of recent historical research into fields of enquiry that can still sometimes seem almost impossible to illuminate. Sex, Gender and Social Change since 1880 demonstrates an accumulation of knowledge of British sexuality that would have amazed an observer only a decade ago.' - Sam Pryke, Sexualities '...Sex, Gender and Social Change in Britain since 1880 is an ideal textbook for students. It offers the best overview of the development of sexuality in Twentieth-century Britain, and promises to become essential reading for anyone interested in the topic, or to anyone hoping to teach a course on the topic. There is enough primary material to make important contributions to the field of the history of sexuality, and the synthesis of previous historical writing, which was long overdue, is both thought-provoking and convincing.' - Ivan Dalley Crozier, Journal of the History of Sexuality 'This is an excellent overview which fills a gap in the market.' - C. Collette, Edge Hill University College

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0333650522
• ISBN 13: 9780333650523
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 264