Masculinities, planning knowledge and domestic space in Britain, c. 1941-1961
This thesis examines the significance of masculinities in debates about planning the home in mid-twentieth century Britain, the dissemination of domestic ideals in planning publications and at housing exhibitions, and menâs experiences of these ideals in reality. Emboldened by a historically specific set of challenges that followed the 1941 Blitz and demobilisation after the Second World War, planning experienced a âgolden ageâ in the 1940s. As the borders of expert knowledge expanded, and quotidian practices became a topic of national significance, planners promoted menâs presence within the home as part of Britainâs postwar reconstruction. The first chapter analyses planning publications and films to reveal the proliferation of technocratic, rational and omniscient planning identities and their effect on how experts studied and conceptualised the home. Focus then moves to explore the methods used to disseminate ideal representations of the home and menâs domestic actions at major exhibitions such as Britain Can Make It (1946), the Festival of Britain (1951) and the model Lansbury Estate in East London. The final chapter uses oral histories and observational studies to discern how men used their
Guyan, Kevin
Masculinities, planning knowledge and domestic space in Britain, c. 1941-1961. This thesis examines the significance of masculinities in debates about planning the home in mid-twentieth century Britain, the dissemination of domestic ideals in planning publications and at housing exhibitions, and menâs experiences of these ideals in reality. Emboldened by a historically specific set of challenges that followed the 1941 Blitz and demobilisation after the Second World War, planning experienced a âgolden ageâ in the 1940s. As the borders of expert knowledge expanded, and quotidian practices became a topic of national significance, planners promoted menâs presence within the home as part of Britainâs postwar reconstruction. The first chapter analyses planning publications and films to reveal the proliferation of technocratic, rational and omniscient planning identities and their effect on how experts studied and conceptualised the home. Focus then moves to explore the methods used to disseminate ideal representations of the home and menâs domestic actions at major exhibitions such as Britain Can Make It (1946), the Festival of Britain (1951) and the model Lansbury Estate in East London. The final chapter uses oral histories and observational studies to discern how men used their
plan knowledge domestic_space britain examines significance masculinity debate plan home_britain dissemination domestic ideal plan publication housing exhibition men experience ideal reality historically_specific set challenge follow blitz second_world_war plan experience golden border expert knowledge expand quotidian practice become topic national_significance planner promote men presence within home part britain postwar reconstruction first analyse plan publication film reveal proliferation rational planning identity effect expert study conceptualised home focus move explore method_use disseminate ideal representation home men domestic action major exhibition britain make festival britain model estate east_london final oral_history observational study discern men use