The social and cultural impact of the car in interwar Britain
This study argues that society's choices between possible technological developments are highly reflective of patterns of political, social, and economic power. Employing insights from recent historical and sociological work on class, gender, consumption and technology the processes by which social relations shaped the design, marketing and uses of the car are explained. In turn, it is argued that the legal and physical infrastructure which developed in the car's wake were extremely expressive of class and gender relations. The interwar years are studied because it was during this period, when the car as a technology was still open to contestation, that the British car culture was defined. This was so because it was during the 1920s and 1930s that car ownership became a reality for millions of middle-class Britons. An analysis of the symbolic, as well as the utilitarian, benefits of ownership is offered and reveals the car's role in the expression of social and gender identity. The extent to which these factors impinged upon the actions of car manufacturers and motor dealers is also related. This perspective and the use of oral evidence has unearthed significant new evidence about the composition of the motoring
O'Connell, Sean
DA Great Britain ; TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
The social and cultural impact of the car in interwar Britain. This study argues that society's choices between possible technological developments are highly reflective of patterns of political, social, and economic power. Employing insights from recent historical and sociological work on class, gender, consumption and technology the processes by which social relations shaped the design, marketing and uses of the car are explained. In turn, it is argued that the legal and physical infrastructure which developed in the car's wake were extremely expressive of class and gender relations. The interwar years are studied because it was during this period, when the car as a technology was still open to contestation, that the British car culture was defined. This was so because it was during the 1920s and 1930s that car ownership became a reality for millions of middle-class Britons. An analysis of the symbolic, as well as the utilitarian, benefits of ownership is offered and reveals the car's role in the expression of social and gender identity. The extent to which these factors impinged upon the actions of car manufacturers and motor dealers is also related. This perspective and the use of oral evidence has unearthed significant new evidence about the composition of the motoring
social_cultural impact car interwar_britain study argue society choice possible technological_development highly reflective pattern political_social economic_power employing insight recent historical_sociological work_class gender consumption technology process social_relation shape design marketing car explain turn argue legal physical infrastructure develop car wake extremely expressive class_gender relation interwar_year study period car technology still open contestation british car culture define car ownership become reality million middle_class britons analysis symbolic well utilitarian benefit ownership offer reveals car role expression social gender_identity extent factor impinge upon action car manufacturer motor also relate perspective use_oral evidence unearth significant new_evidence composition motor