The matchmaking industry and singles culture in Britain, 1970-2000
This thesis charts the expansion of the British dating industry after 1970, using singles services as a lens for assessing the impact of a period of rapid sexual and gender-political change on romantic aspiration. Its central contention is that by studying mediated courtship, we gain a new window onto the very heart of change in late 20th century Britain - namely, the transformation of the gender order. Courtship lets us see how this transformation - normally studied in political, sexual, demographic or cultural terms - was played out in the everyday affective and social lives of individuals. The thesis is arranged in four chapters, with sources centring on first person testimony (Mass Observation diaries, oral history, reader letters, television interviews, memoirs) and newspaper discourse. The first chapter discusses the demographic, cultural and discursive context in which Britain's expanding population of single people increasingly sought commercial, third-party romantic aid. Chapters Two and Three set out the structure of the mediated dating industry and its most prominent characters alongside an analysis of the flashpoints that shaped how it was perceived. In the final chapter, I turn to daters' memory
Strimpel, Zoe
DA History of Great Britain ; HQ0801 Man-woman relationships. Courtship. Dating
The matchmaking industry and singles culture in Britain, 1970-2000. This thesis charts the expansion of the British dating industry after 1970, using singles services as a lens for assessing the impact of a period of rapid sexual and gender-political change on romantic aspiration. Its central contention is that by studying mediated courtship, we gain a new window onto the very heart of change in late 20th century Britain - namely, the transformation of the gender order. Courtship lets us see how this transformation - normally studied in political, sexual, demographic or cultural terms - was played out in the everyday affective and social lives of individuals. The thesis is arranged in four chapters, with sources centring on first person testimony (Mass Observation diaries, oral history, reader letters, television interviews, memoirs) and newspaper discourse. The first chapter discusses the demographic, cultural and discursive context in which Britain's expanding population of single people increasingly sought commercial, third-party romantic aid. Chapters Two and Three set out the structure of the mediated dating industry and its most prominent characters alongside an analysis of the flashpoints that shaped how it was perceived. In the final chapter, I turn to daters' memory
industry single culture britain chart expansion british dating industry use single service lens assess_impact period_rapid sexual gender political_change romantic aspiration central contention study mediate courtship gain_new window_onto heart change britain namely transformation gender order courtship let see transformation normally studied political sexual demographic cultural term play everyday affective social_life individual arrange source centre first_person testimony mass_observation diary oral_history reader letter television interview memoir newspaper discourse first_discuss demographic cultural discursive context britain expand population single people increasingly sought commercial third party romantic aid two_three set structure mediate date industry prominent character alongside analysis shape perceive final turn memory