In defence of white freedom: Working men’s clubs and the politics of sociability in late industrial England

Camilla Schofield

doi:10.1093/tcbh/hwad038

In defence of white freedom: Working men’s clubs and the politics of sociability in late industrial England

Camilla Schofield

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

26 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

While ongoing discrimination in jobs, welfare, and housing in 1970s England belied the social democratic promise of 'equality of opportunity' and the much-touted British value of 'fair play', racism at the door of the working men's club told a different story. For reactionaries and liberals alike, it spoke to the uncertain future of working-class politics in late industrial England. This article shows how the legal and political controversies surrounding whites-only working men's clubs contribute to our understanding of the 'white working class' as a political subject in British public life. Even more, it reveals how - among club members - whiteness came to be invested with feelings of intimacy, kinship, respectability, and independence.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	515–551
Number of pages	37
Journal	Twentieth Century British History
Volume	34
Issue number	3
Early online date	6 Jun 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/tcbh/hwad038
Publication status	Published - Sept 2023

Keywords

white working class
race
Deindustrialisation
Discrimination
British Politics
trade unions

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1093/tcbh/hwad038Licence: CC BY

hwad038Final published version, 416 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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AB - While ongoing discrimination in jobs, welfare, and housing in 1970s England belied the social democratic promise of 'equality of opportunity' and the much-touted British value of 'fair play', racism at the door of the working men's club told a different story. For reactionaries and liberals alike, it spoke to the uncertain future of working-class politics in late industrial England. This article shows how the legal and political controversies surrounding whites-only working men's clubs contribute to our understanding of the 'white working class' as a political subject in British public life. Even more, it reveals how - among club members - whiteness came to be invested with feelings of intimacy, kinship, respectability, and independence.

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KW - race

KW - Deindustrialisation

KW - Discrimination

KW - British Politics

KW - trade unions

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ER -

In defence of white freedom: Working men’s clubs and the politics of sociability in late industrial England

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

When Racism Became Taboo: Intolerance, Anonymity and the Public Sphere in England, 1960-1990

Decolonising Europe

Cite this

In defence of white freedom: Working men’s clubs and the politics of sociability in late industrial England

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

When Racism Became Taboo: Intolerance, Anonymity and the Public Sphere in England, 1960-1990

Activities

Decolonising Europe

Cite this