The politics of British concepts of heroic gallantry, 1955-1979
The âSixtiesâ value shift in Britain â often referred to as the âcultural revolutionâ â has long been shrouded in generalisation, stereotype and misunderstanding. Countless studies have considered many aspects of this timeframe, often concluding in support of either its revolutionary progressiveness or conservative stasis. This thesis aims primarily to shed new light on the nature, extent and timing of cultural and political transition through focusing on a concept overwhelmingly rooted in conservative, military and state-orientated culture: the concept of heroic âgallantryâ. It does so by concentrating on the interaction between the Sixties value shift and government policies relating to British gallantry awards. The thesis concludes that, in an area in which moral and political âconservativesâ â namely Tory ministers and MPs, civil servants, military servicemen and ex-servicemenâs associations, combined with right-wing journalists and their readership â held a dominant emotional stake, it was they who pioneered âprogressiveâ reform to gallantry awards policy in order to maintain the relevancy and acceptability of these decorations in evolving British politics and culture. The
Lord, Matthew James
The politics of British concepts of heroic gallantry, 1955-1979. The âSixtiesâ value shift in Britain â often referred to as the âcultural revolutionâ â has long been shrouded in generalisation, stereotype and misunderstanding. Countless studies have considered many aspects of this timeframe, often concluding in support of either its revolutionary progressiveness or conservative stasis. This thesis aims primarily to shed new light on the nature, extent and timing of cultural and political transition through focusing on a concept overwhelmingly rooted in conservative, military and state-orientated culture: the concept of heroic âgallantryâ. It does so by concentrating on the interaction between the Sixties value shift and government policies relating to British gallantry awards. The thesis concludes that, in an area in which moral and political âconservativesâ â namely Tory ministers and MPs, civil servants, military servicemen and ex-servicemenâs associations, combined with right-wing journalists and their readership â held a dominant emotional stake, it was they who pioneered âprogressiveâ reform to gallantry awards policy in order to maintain the relevancy and acceptability of these decorations in evolving British politics and culture. The
politics british concept heroic value shift britain often_refer cultural revolution long generalisation stereotype misunderstanding countless study consider many_aspect timeframe often conclude support either revolutionary conservative stasis aim primarily shed_new_light nature_extent time cultural_political transition focus concept overwhelmingly root conservative military state orientated culture concept heroic concentrate interaction value shift government_policy relate british award concludes area moral_political conservative namely tory minister mps civil_servant military serviceman ex_servicemen association combine right_wing journalist readership hold dominant emotional stake pioneer progressive reform award policy order maintain acceptability decoration evolve british_politics culture