Classes, Cultures, and Politics

Classes, Culture, and Politics investigates those fields in British history that have been illustrated by the works of Ross McKibbin, one of the foremost historians of twentieth century Britain. Written by a distinguished team of scholars, it examines McKibbin's life and thought, and explores the implications of his arguments. One of his most important achievements has been to break down the artificial barriers that existed between 'social' and 'political' history, in order to enrich the writing of both; that legacy is reflected throughout this volume.

From international football to Liberal internationalism, from the hedonism of the early Labour party to the relationship between London cabbies and Thatcherism, this volume is an ambitious attempt to explore contemporary Britain, endeavouring to be as original, unsycophantic, rebarbative, and diverting as the historian whose work has inspired it.

Clare V. J. Griffiths is the author of Labour and the Countryside: The Politics of Rural Britain 1918-1939 (2007).


James J. Nott is the author of Music for the People: Popular Music and Dance in Interwar Britain (2002). He is currently writing a book on the history of dancing and dance halls in Britain, 1920-1960.


William Whyte is the author of Oxford Jackson: Architecture, Education, Status and Style (2006) and co-editor of Redefining Christian Britain (2007). He is currently writing a book on the architecture of Britain's modern universities.