Michael Young, Social Science, and the British Left, 1945-1970

This book examines the relationship between social science and public policy in left-wing politics. It focuses on the time period between the end of the Second World War and the end of the first Wilson government through the figure of the policy maker, sociologist and social innovator Michael Young.

List of contents

• Acknowledgements


• Introduction


• 1: 'We were all very sick and very stupid': the Conference on the Psychological and Sociological Problems of Modern Socialism and the politics of the group


• 2: 'Bigness is the Enemy of Humanity': Political and Economic Planning, social science, and public policy, 1945 to 1950


• 3: 'For Richer, For Poorer': Family policy and women, 1950-52


• 4: The Institute of Community Studies, 1953-58


• 5: From kinship to consumerism: Coming to terms with the middle class, 1958-1963


• 6: Facing the future: Social science in the first Wilson government, 1964-70


• Conclusion


• Bibliography


• Index

About the author

Lise Butler is a Lecturer in Modern History at City, University of London. She is a historian of modern Britain, interested in political history, left-wing politics, and the history of the social sciences. She completed her doctorate at University College Oxford, and has held a lectureship in History at Pembroke College Oxford and an Archives By-Fellowship at Churchill College Cambridge. She is originally from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Summary

This book examines the relationship between social science and public policy in left-wing politics. It focuses on the time period between the end of the Second World War and the end of the first Wilson government through the figure of the policy maker, sociologist and social innovator Michael Young.

Additional text

Butler's account provides, through the technicolour prism of Michael Young, a rich perspective on both social scientific and left-wing policy debates in post-war Britain. The result is a fascinating, deeply researched and revelatory book.

Product details

• Authors: Lise Butler, Lise (Lecturer in Modern History Butler
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 03.09.2020
• EAN: 9780198862895
• ISBN: 978-0-19-886289-5
• No. of pages: 278
• Series: Oxford Historical Monographs
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > 20th century (up to 1945); Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / General, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / General, Social and cultural history, c 1940 to c 1949, Socialism & left-of-centre democratic ideologies, Left-of-centre democratic ideologies, HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / General