E. P. Thompson and English Radicalism [Paperback]

This collection of essays marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of E. P. Thomspon's most famous book, The Making of the English Working Class. It was a highly-influential work which contributed significantly to a revolution in the way history was studied, not only in Britain but in many countries. Instead of viewing history solely in terms of kings, courtiers, aristocrats and politicians, historians began to consider the perspective of the common people.

E. P. Thompson and English radicalism gathers together a selection of leading authors from a diverse range of disciplines to critically review not only this pivotal work, but the wide range of his career, including his experience as an adult educator, writer, poet and critic. His involvement in the early New Left, his political theories, his socialist humanism and his concept of class are all interrogated fully. Thompson was also a notable and passionate political polemicist, peace campaigner and activist who saw all his public activity as complementary parts of a unified whole, and this collection aims to bring his ideas to the attention of a new generation of students, scholars and activists.

1. E.P. Thompson: a short introduction - Roger Fieldhouse, Theodore Koditschek and Richard Taylor

Part I: Adult education, history and literature

2. Thompson: the adult educator - Roger Fieldhouse

3. The making of The Making - David Goodway

4. The possibilities of theory: Thompson's Marxist history - Theodore Koditschek

5. The uses of literature: Thompson as writer, reader and critic - Luke Spencer

Part II: Policy, theory and peace campaigns

6. Thompson and socialist humanism - Kate Soper

7. Thompson's concept of class: the flesh and blood of self-emancipation - Nina Power

8. Thompson and the early new left - Michael Newman

9. Thompson and the Peace Movement: from CND in the 1950s and 1960s to END in the 1980s - Richard Taylor