State and Society

Covering the major social and political events of British history from the late Victorian era through to the present day, the 6th edition of this landmark textbook helps students critically examine the relationship between the British state and its citizens. With accessible and engaging prose, the book guides students through a mix of chronological and thematic coverage connecting key political, economic and social changes, helping them examine the main themes and trends in British political history.Newly featuring definitions of key terms, and with 20 additional illustrations, the 6th edition has also been updated to cover events since the 2015 general election, including:- The 2017 and 2019 general elections- The Brexit vote and negotiations- The COVID-19 pandemic- The resignation of David Cameron, the fall of Theresa May, and the rise of Boris Johnson- The rise of cultural politics, including feminism, Black Lives Matter, the centralisation of government and identity politicsThis book is essential for anyone looking to for an introduction to modern British social and political history.

“State and Society continues to engage the reader thanks to the ambition, relevance, and clarity of its coverage. But its bold avoidance of fence-sitting also means that, six editions in, there is still much to chew over.”

Martin Pugh’s State and Society has become something of a classic of its type: its punchy, provocative prose makes it the first book on any list of recommendations to students new to studying British political history. Lewis Mates, Associate Professor in Political Theory, Durham University, UK
State and Society continues to engage the reader thanks to the ambition, relevance, and clarity of its coverage. But its bold avoidance of fence-sitting also means that, six editions in, there is still much to chew over. Dr Christopher Prior, Associate Professor in Colonial and Postcolonial History, University of Southampton, UK
Pugh’s State and Society remains an outstanding overview of Britain from the 1870s into the 2020s, weaving together politics, economics, and social life. State and Society is engagingly written, offering a rigorous and critical view of the period, and it is a must-read for students of citizenship in Britain. Kate Bradley, Reader in Social History and Social Policy, University of Kent, UK

Martin Pugh was Professor of British History at Newcastle University, UK and Research Professor in History at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a member of the advisory panel of the BBC History Magazine, and the author of over twelve books on nineteenth- and twentieth-century history. His previous publications include Women and the Women's Movement in Britain 1914-1959, A Companion to Modern European History 1871-1945, The Pankhursts: The History of One Radical Family, Speak for Britain: A New History of the Labour Party and We Danced All Night: A Social History of Britain Between the Wars.

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