Modernity and the Victorians

Modernity and the Victorians challenges the modernization theory and offers an alternative interpretation of the political and social dynamics of nineteenth-century British history, focusing on the past, morality, and community. It is a companion volume to Victorian Political Culture and challenges received wisdoms about modern Britain.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 18 August 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Modernity and the Victorians is a groundbreaking work that challenges the prevailing understanding of Victorian Britain in the scholarship. It diagnoses a disorder and presents an interpretative remedy to rectify this imbalance. The book argues that the modernization theory, which gained popularity among social scientists in the twentieth century, cannot be applied to the facts of nineteenth-century British history. Instead, it offers a fresh and alternative perspective on the political and social dynamics of the period, focusing on the past, morality, and community.

This book is intended as a companion volume to Angus Hawkins' previous synthetic study, Victorian Political Culture: Habits of Heart and Mind (2015). It serves as a deliberate challenge to a range of prevailing wisdoms that have misled students of modern Britain. By presenting a comprehensive and nuanced analysis, Modernity and the Victorians seeks to provide a more accurate understanding of the Victorians and their era.

This book is not only a valuable contribution to twentieth-century intellectual history but also to the history of scholarship itself. It offers insightful commentary on recent historiography and engages in ongoing debates about the practice and future of political history. The author, a renowned historian who dedicated his career to studying the Victorians, brings a mature and humane perspective to the subject.

The preface by Alex Middleton, which provides context for Hawkins' earlier scholarship and reflects on his broader contribution to the historiography of modern Britain, adds an additional layer of depth to the book. It highlights the significance of Hawkins' work and its impact on the field.

This volume will appeal to a wide range of readers, including students of nineteenth-century Britain, intellectual historians, historiographers, socially-minded social scientists, and anyone interested in exploring how present preoccupations can shape our interpretations of the past. By challenging prevailing narratives and offering a more nuanced understanding of the Victorians, Modernity and the Victorians contributes to our collective knowledge of history and helps us to better appreciate the complexities of the past.

Weight: 294g
Dimension: 146 x 223 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192845474