Classes and Cultures

Ross McKibbin investigates the ways in which `class culture' characterized English society, and intruded into every aspect of life, during the period from 1918 to the mid-1950s. He demonstrates the influence of social class within the mini 'cultures' which together constitute society: families and family life, friends and neighbours, the workplace, schools and colleges, religion, sexuality, sport, music, film, and radio. Dr McKibbin considers the ways in whichlanguage was used (both spoken and written) to define one's social grouping, and how far changes occurred to language and culture more generally as a result of increasing American influence. He assesses the role of status and authority in English society, the social significance of the monarchy and theupper classes, the opportunities for social mobility, and the social and ideological foundations of English politics. In this fascinating study, Ross McKibbin exposes the fundamental structures and belief systems which underpinned English society in the first half of the twentieth century.

the implications of class culture for the period have never been spelled out so throroughly. The strength of this book lies in its detailed description of how class and culture interacted., a work of major importance that will have to be taken seriously by anyone concerned with the role of class in twentieth-century England., Ross McKibbin is one of the leading historians of twentieth century Britain. His work is an important reference point for those who wish to fully understand British politics and society in the first five decades or so of this century ... McKibbin presents his material well., McKibbin is excellent on matters as diverse as "ribbon development" in interwar housing, the different forms of male and female sociability in the working class, the impact of Hollywood films, the nature and appeal of betting, and much else besides., mordantly witty Classes and Cultures: England 1918-1951 (OUP £25) side-steps high politics in order to unpick the threads of the British class system, richly mixing statistics and evidence drawn from mass literature. Ben Pilmot/Ind. on Sunday/29/11/98 Culture (Page 2)

Ross McKibbin is Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at St John's College, Oxford.