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Seminar 1: Thatcherism and the Eighties

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This seminar provides an opportunity for a more detailed discussion of the many different approaches to Thatcherism and the history of the 1980s. We will also use this seminar to explore a number of different sources available to us for the study of this topic and consider the challenges posed by each in turn. Here we will be particularly interested in the tension between nostalgia and history.

Questions to think about

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  • How has the '80s been remembered?
  • What were the Eighties?

Seminar Readings

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Observing the
Eighties

Spring 1990-Retrospective on the 1980s

Seldon,A and Collings D Britain Under Thatcher (2000) part 1, p7-9, p97-99

You might also find it useful to read what some of the respondents themselves say about writing for MOP. 

1990 Spring-Retrospective D156 


Further reading

What were the 80s?

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Use this forum to prepare for our discussion by posting up your summaries, descriptions, impressions or ideas about the 1980s.  We will revisit these later in the course.

Seminar Resources

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Seminar Resources

Seminar 1 Handout

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Extended Research for Essays and Presentations

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Extended Research for Essays and Presentations


Thatcherism, The Conservative Party, Thatcher, Political Memoir

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Thatcherism and Britain in the 1980s

Brown, Callum ‘Chapter 7 - the secular society’ Religion Society in c20th Britain (2006) Core Collection / BR 759

Cloke, Paul ed J Policy and change in Thatcher's Britain (1992) Reserve / HF 2050 UK (Pol)

Crewe, I & amp; D. Searing ‘Mrs. Thatcher’s crusade: Conservatism n Britain, 1972-86' in B. Cooper, A. Kornberg & W. Mishler (eds) The Resurgence of Conservatism in the Anglo-American Democracies (Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 1988)

Ewing, K. D. Freedom under Thatcher : civil liberties in modern Britain (1983) Main / JC 4150 UK (Ewi)

Hall, Stuart ‘The Great Moving Right Show’ in The Hard Road to Renewal p39 - 36 Long and Short / JD 2150 UK (Hal)

Hall, Stuart and Martin Jacques The politics of Thatcherism (1983) Short and Main DA 592 Pol

Harrison, Brian ‘Mrs Thatcher and the Intellectuals’ Twentieth Century British History 1994, vol 5, p206-245

Holmes, Martin, The first Thatcher government, 1979-1983 : contemporary conservatism and economic change (1985) Main / DA 592 Hol D 1 Twe

Johnston, R. J.and C. J. Pattie. ‘The Regional Impact of Thatcherism: Attitudes and Votes in Great Britain in the 1980s.’ Regional Studies, Volume 24, Number 6 (December 1990), pp. 479-493, Available though EBSCO

Letwin Shirley The anatomy of Thatcherism (1992) Main and Short / DA 589.7 Let

Marsden-Smedley, Philip Britain in the eighties : the Spectator's view of the Thatcher decade / (1989) Main / DA 592 Bri

Porter, B. (1994). " 'Though Not an Historian Myself ...': Margaret Thatcher and the Historians.& quot; Twentieth Century Brit Hist 5(2): 246-256.

Pugh, M. State and Society: British Political and Social History 1870-1992 (1994) Chs 20-21 DA 566.7 Pug

Ranelagh, John Thatcher's people : an insider's account of the politics, the power and the personalities (1991) Main / DA 589.7 Ran

Rentoul, J. ‘Me and mine : the triumph of the new individualism’ chapter 10 in The Thatcher revolution / (by) Rentoul J. ResFac / Buckingham

Ross, John Thatcher and her Friends Long Main / JD 2150 UK (Ros)

Subroto Roy, and Clarke, John Margaret Thatcher's revolution : how it happened and what it meant (2005) Main / JD 2150 UK (MAR)

Skidelskey, R. (ed.) Thatcherism (1988) HY 11215 UK (Tha)



Conservative Party
Behrens, R The Conservative Party from Heath to Thatcher : policies and politics 1974-1979 / (by) R. Behrens (1980) Main / JD 2150 UK (Beh)

Norton. P (ed) The Conservative Party (Hemel Hempstead, Prentice Hall 1996), Chapters Four, Five.

Norton, P and A. Aughey Conservatives & Conservatism (London, Temple-Smith, 1981), Chapters One & Two. Core Collection / JD 2150 UK (Con)

O’Gorman, Frank British conservatism : conservative thought from the 1790s to the 1980s/ (1986) Main / JB 270 Bri A collection of primary sources including speeches

Turner, J ‘The British Conservative Party in the Twentieth Century: from Beginning to End?’ in Contemporary European History, Volume 8, Number 2 (July 1999) Available through Ebsco

Thatcher
Campbell, John, Margaret Thatcher - Vol.1 : The grocer's daughter 2000 Main / DA 591.T47 CAM

King, Anthony, `Margaret Thatcher as a Political Leader,' in Robert Skidelsky, ed., Thatcherism (London: Chatto & Windus, 1988). Res and Short / DA 589.7 RID

Lewis, Russell Margaret Thatcher : a personal and political biography (1984) Main / DA 591.T47 Lew

Murray, P Margaret Thatcher / (1980) Main / DA 591.T47 Mur

Thatcher, M. The Downing Street Years (1993) DA 591.T47 A3

Thomson, Andrew, Margaret Thatcher : the woman within 1989 Main / DA 591.T47 Tho

Primary Sources
Pirie, Madsen A decade of revolution : the Thatcher years (1989) Docs / Adam Smith (Dec)

Scanlon, Joan Surviving the Blues : growing up in the Thatcher decade (1990) Main / HC 6450 UK (Sur)

Thatcher, Margaret Margaret Thatcher [computer file] : complete public statements 1945-1990 on CD-ROM / [general editor, Christopher Collins] (1999) Rdr.Servcs. Ask staff.


Autobiography and Memoir
Callaghan, J. (1987). Time and chance, Collins. Main / DA 591.C34 A3

Clark, A. (1993). Diaries
Weidenfield. Main / DA 591.C55 A3

Howe, G. (1994). Conflict of Loyalty, Macmillan.
Main / DA 591.H6 A3 in library

Documentaries
Winter of discontent [video recording] A/V 1. Ask staff / /783318

The 1970s [videorecording] : that was the decade that was. - Pt. 2 : From hippie to yuppie Audio Visual Collection / DA 589.4 NIN

Clarke, Alan Alan Clarke Diaries (2004) Audio Visual Collection / PN 1992.77 ALA

Tory! Tory! Tory! video series. Audio Visual Collection / JD 2150 UK (TOR)

Maggie – the first lady (2003) parts 1-3 Audio Visual Collection / /DA 591.T47 MAG


Internet resources
http:// www.margaretthatcher.org/
lots of documents from 1975 onwards

http:// www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/search.asp
accesses over 8,000 speeches and statem