Course info

In recent years, the international visibility of movements such as Black Lives Matter, Solidarity with Refugees and the Women's March has fuelled further debates about the organisation of protest groups, the influence of activism on government policy, and the importance of intersectionality in social justice campaigns. These movements have drawn on the history of activism in public actions and on social media, inspiring political engagement by connecting protests past and present. In Britain, many of those involved in the Women's March in London in January 2017 likened its atmosphere to the Women's Liberation Movement activism of the late 1960s and 1970s. However, as will be explored in this module, the promotion of these historical connections has resulted in the construction of particular narratives of activism in Britain. Whilst the emergence of specific forms of liberation politics and peace campaigns have been relatively well-documented, significant protest movements such as Black Power and AIDS activism remain overlooked.

This module provides an overview of the history of protest in Britain, from the formation of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in 1958 to national anti-war demonstrations in 2003. By examining the numerous and varied cultures of activism that have informed protest in Britain over this period, including Black Power, health activism, right-wing groups and environmentalism, this module uncovers the richness of this history. We will assess the ways in which protest movements were informed by intersecting concerns relating to race, class, gender and sexuality, and the influence of feeling and emotion on political activism. By exploring themes that trace the links between radical politics and the state, and local, national and global causes, we will answer broader questions about how 'activism' can be defined, the relationship between the personal and the political, how social and cultural developments have informed radical politics, and the impact of protest on society.