Baughan, Emily, Beers, Laura, Burnett, Jade, Chappell, Frankie, Davidson, Ruth, Jenkins, Lyndsey, Lundin, Emma, Martin, Mary Clare ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3568-6423, Muggeridge, Anna, Peplow, Emma, Privato, Priscila, Riley, Charlotte Lydia and White, Jessica (2024) Labour pains: Mothers and Motherhood on the British Left in the Twentieth Century. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. pp. 1-22. ISSN 0080-4401 (Print), 1474-0648 (Online) (In Press) (doi:10.1017/S0080440124000161)

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Abstract

British left-wing politics does not know what to think about mothers. In left-wing women’s movements, motherhood has been recognised as essential and difficult, crucial for future revolutions, not least in raising future revolutionaries. In less radical circles, it has been
understood as a crucial contribution to the functioning of society, often forming the basis of women’s claims to citizenship and maternalist forms of politics. On the other hand, motherhood has been seen as a ‘natural’ function of women and a private responsibility, rather than a public good or a collective act which needs comprehensive state support. The family, in this reading, is a rather conservative force, better left to social reactionaries. Mothering has added additional hurdles to the gendered obstacles women already face in pursuing politics as activists or elected representatives. Perhaps because of this, many mothers in politics have sought to downplay or distance themselves from their roles as mothers, to emphasise instead their past as workers and activists who can be fully committed to the left cause. Feminist
historians have often followed their lead and have tended to write around political mothers’ maternal roles in their scholarship. This roundtable develops themes first explored in our November 2023 roundtable.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Pls do not confuse with article under same title accepted by Oxford UP on 7/10/2024 at https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0d673fcd-8592-4001-9125-787f13849645 in which only two of the above authors are cited. - MP
Uncontrolled Keywords:	motherhood, Labour Party, British Left, Political History, feminist history
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Professional Workforce Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Education (EDU)
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2024 11:46
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/48854

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