Trace the history of the politics of alcohol

James Nicholls, author of The Politics of Alcohol will be appearing on a new BBC series to be broadcast on Radio Four next week.

Britain on the Bottle: Alcohol and the State sees Mark Whitaker investigating the history of the politics of alcohol.

More information about the series can be found at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t1q76

War on terror, The Oxford Amnesty Lectures

By Chris Miller

Disasters represent opportunities for governments. The way in which they react can reinforce their appeal with the electorate or alienate voters forever because deep emotions are stirred. A major terrorist outrage such as 9/11 constituted precisely such an opportunity and my immediate sense in its aftermath was that the feelings of outrage it inspired were liable to be exploited. This premonition was more than borne out, as we know. Those in the US administration who were already pressing for an assault on Saddam Hussein took their opportunity immediately. The need to close Afghanistan to terrorist training camps presented a more difficult challenge, which has not been solved. Under the pressure of public feeling measures were taken in the name of security that appealed to the general tendency of governments to enhance their own powers. Undoing the powers that Western and other governments then bestowed on themselves will be a long and patient task for human-rights campaigners—undertaken for the most part without the same sense of public urgency. The danger constituted by terrorism is, nevertheless, one of the least significant faced by the citizen of a Western democracy. In terms of reducing mortality, greater enforcement of speed-limits would probably have been more effective than the `War on Terror’. It is argued, of course, that we cannot know this; that attempted outrages were prevented of which we know nothing. But the effects of the ‘War on Terror’ can surely be described as a disaster in themselves. When the US criticizes human rights abuses in other countries, it is now seen to be entirely hypocritical, since the content of its own past critiques was used to establish the preferred destinations of those illegally rendered to torture during the Bush years (with the alleged complicity of other Western nations). Though the US in South and Central America and the UK in its colonial wars and in Ireland had clearly been active or instrumental in torture before then, it seemed that torture was at least off the official menu before 9/11. No longer. Powers that were awarded to the police in the UK in order to deal with terrorist groups are now used against non-violent protesters. The view already preached by Osama Bin Laden that the US and UK and other Western countries intended an assault on Islam has been reinforced and with it the view that violence is a legitimate recourse for Muslims opposed to the killing of fellow-Muslims in the ‘War on Terror’.

The considerations that motivate the declaration of such a ‘war’ are of course multifarious. And in the West there is a genuine perplexity concerning Islamist violence. I sense that the great public-relations victory scored by Israel over its Arab neighbours is coming to an end in Europe but how many, even now, are familiar with the history of Israel’s accumulation of territory? In America, Israel retains its dominance of public opinion on the Middle East.

For me, the organisation of a lecture series on the ‘War on Terror’ and the editing and writing involved in turning those lectures into a book constituted a quest for clarification of many of these issues economic, legal, historical, and ethical. We put our questions to specialists and received a wide variety of opinions, with some of which I was in fundamental disagreement. (Needless to say these pieces appear in full and they undoubtedly represent important strands of opinion.) By the end of that process, I was beginning to feel moderately well informed. The judgements made above are those at which I have arrived. If I say that many of my suspicions were confirmed in the course of the process, I am no doubt open to the accusation of having sought the evidence required to confirm my prejudices. I have little to say about this other than to suggest reading the Oxford Amnesty Lectures 2006: “War on Terror”. Every bit of it seems to me as pertinent as at the time of writing.

Find out more about the newly published War on Terror, editied by Chris Miller

Lois S. Bibbings and 'Telling tales about men' on Ireland's 4FM McGurk show

On 7th January Lois S. Bibbings appeared on Ireland's 4FM McGurk Show and discussed Telling Tales about men with Derek Davis.

Bibbings's book provides an intriguing account of how conscientious objectors to compulsory military service — who opposed the war because of religious, moral and political belief — were viewed and treated in England during WWI .

You can listen to the 4FM McGurk Show interview here (12:09, MP3, 4.2MB).

Black Bartholomew's day wins award

David J. Appleby's Black Bartholomew's day has been awarded the Richard L. Greaves Award by the International John Bunyan Society. The Richard L. Greaves Award is an award that is presented triennially to an outstanding book on the history, literature, thought, practices, and legacy of English Protestantism to 1700. The award is not limited to studies of Bunyan, and can be conferred on authors who are not members of the IJBS.

This is only the second time the award has been given, the first recipient being Isabel Hofmeyr of Princeton University.

Although the book has but one mention of Bunyan, the committee agreed that the book's contribution to dissenting studies was 'exceptional'.

To find out more about the International John Bunyan Society follow this link: http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~dgay/Bunyan.htm

Artisans of the body in early modern Italy reviewed by Katharine Park

Summer 2010, Artisans of the body in early modern Italy is NEW IN PAPERBACK!

'A phenomenally detailed picture of the lives of barbers and surgeons, based not on the prescriptive regulations of guilds or colleges, but on the careers, work and family relationships of the individuals involved . . . . Cavallo's work provides a splendid model for further research.'

Katharine Park, Department of the History of Science, Harvard University

To read the full review please follow http://shm.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/hkp076

More reviews for this title can be found here....

Histoire sociale/Social history review (Volume 42, Number 84, November, on p. 490) by E. Cohen http://www.utpjournals.com/hssh/hssh.html

For Jacobson Schutte's review in Renaissance Quarterly (63:1, Spring 2010, pp. 239-40) http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/rq/2010/63/1

For the Medical History review by Patrick Wallis, London School of Economics & Political Science follow http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706060/

Fellow MUP author, Evelyn Welch, reviews Artisans of the body in History Workshop journal http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/history_workshop_journal/v068/68.welch.html

Rebecca Messbarger writes for The American Historical Review http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/ahr.114.4.1184?journalC

Ewan MacColl memorial concert reviewed

By Edward Hirst

Ewan MacColl’s position in the pantheon of folk legends alongside such leading figures as Albert Lloyd, is never likely to be disputed. For many of the leading figures in the folk revival during the early 1960’s and beyond, MacColl firmly held the reigns as they charged through the political and social tempests of the ensuing decades. MacColl’s career spans a period during which most other musical genres were relapsing into the commercial celebrity cultures we now take for granted: his enduring achievement was his struggle to retain the idiom of the people – their essential passions, dilemnas and language – at the generative nucleus of the British folk song.
And yet, whilst we might talk endlessly about MacColl’ s importance in the folk scene, we should not forget that the flowering of his later career was grounded in the humble origins of an everyday working-class Salford up-brining.

It is apt, therefore, that to mark the 20th anniversary of his death, Manchester University Press have admirably braved the current economic tempest and published a new edited MacColl’s autobiography ‘Journeyman’ with a new introduction by Peggy Seeger, his partner, collaborator, and first-rate artist in her own right. Moreover, to celebrate the launch of ‘Journeyman’, a memorial concert was held in Salford’s Peel Hall, just yards from the Irwell river immortalised by MacColl in Trafford Road Ballad, and attended by some of the finest artists on the circuit, including John Faulkner, Bob Blair, Brian Pearson, John Faulkner, Jez Lowe, David Ferrard, Bob Fox, and the evergreen Seeger herself.
With a packed-out auditorium, and the presence of local brewery Boggart Hole, there was no doubt that this was going to be a memorable evening.

It was fitting that Jez Lowe featured in the concert. He might quite rightly be described as one of the most prolific folk singers around, and has a special connection to Ewan MacColl in his recent work for the 2006 Radio Ballads, which were written in the same style which MacColl himself invented. A powerful rendition of ‘Taking on Men’ based on accounts he heard from ship builders in Glasgow and Newcastle, was greeted with rapturous applause.

David Ferrard, a gifted young American singer who now lives in Edinburgh, reminded everyone that there is more to folk music than mere old tunes. His songs, like MacColl’s, ring with political significance. His protest against the activities of bankers over the last year, was well received by all! But his fine (almost eerily reminicient of MacColl himself) rendition of the Trafford Road Ballad, demonstrated the broad versatility of this young singer.

Finally, to the delight of all, Peggy Seeger took to the stage charming the audience with quips and jokes which nevertheless quickly dissolved into the beautifully haunting First Time Ever I Saw your Face, which MacColl wrote for Seeger.

Seeger displayed her musical talents by accompanying herself on four different instruments, rounding off with the old Scottish ballad Henry Martin, on the Banjo. Both MacColl and Seeger were instrumental in keeping alive many of the Scottish ballads for future generations, and it was fitting that Seeger should pay tribute to their exploits on this night.

No Ewan MacColl concert would be complete without the famous Manchester Rambler, and the audience were treated to a spectacular and nostalgaic chorus from all the performers.

Ewan MacColl was a stalwart of British folk music, a titanesque figure whose memory will inspire many future generations of folk musicians as they struggle on to keep the heart of British folk music beating.

INVITATION
Amnesty International UK and Manchester University Press invite you to a panel discussion and drinks reception to mark the launch of

‘War on Terror’
The Oxford Amnesty Lectures
Edited by Chris Miller

Through dynamic and highly informed discussion, this Amnesty-hosted book launch will address key issues arising in today’s ‘War on Terror’. The book itself is drawn from the world-famous Oxford Amnesty Lectures and contains essays of substantial and abiding importance.
Conor Gearty, Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Professor of Human Rights at the London School of Economics, will speak on ‘The War on Terror in the Age of Obama’. Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck College, will focus on the use of sexual violence in the ‘War on Terror’. Author, commentator and former Guantánamo detainee Moazzam Begg will respond drawing on his experience as a campaigner and advocate for human rights.

Where

Amnesty International UK, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA

When

Thursday 26 November 2009
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm start
This event is free but booking is essential at
www.amnesty.org.uk/events

Thinking Allowed - Review by James Nicholls

I was invited to appear on Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed this week to discuss my new book, The Politics of Alcohol. I was impressed by Laurie Taylor’s ability to squeeze a huge range of issues into a ten-minute interview, leaving time for some well-chosen music as well as an excerpt from the Shadow Home Secretary’s speech to the Conservative Party conference last week. While the book is broadly chronological, Taylor concentrated on overarching themes such as the idea of national drinking traditions, class, gender and the cultural symbolism of drinking practices. We were also able to discuss how history could inform the heated policy debates which surround alcohol at the moment – something which illustrated one of the central claims in The Politics of Alcohol: that the ‘drink question’ is very much alive today.

My book argues that debates about alcohol policy and culture not only evade simple resolution but persist in exposing gaps in otherwise coherent ideological claims about individual freedom, social responsibility and the regulation of markets. Although it was a brief discussion, I think we managed to get a sense of that idea across.

Listen to the interview on BBC iplayer (choose the programme dated 14/10/09)

WIN a free copy the brand new The James Bond phenomenon, second edition

To celebrate the launch of The James Bond phenomenon, second edition, Manchester University Press is offering readers the chance to win a copy of the book.

Simply email the answer to the question below, to bethan.hirst@manchester.ac.uk. Don't forget to include your name and address. The lucky winner will be announced 6th November.

Question

The author of the young James Bond novels was in a band with his brothers. What was the band called?

Good luck!

Washington Society for the History of Medicine Annual Dinner and Meeting

Washington Society for the History of Medicine Annual Dinner and Meeting will be held in the US on September 26th.

Jeffrey Reznick will present a talk entitled, John Galsworthy and Disabled Soldiers of the Great War, based on his forthcoming book for MUP.

Jeffrey S. Reznick, PhD is Director of the Institute for the Study of Occupation and Health of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Modern History of the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, a member of Birmingham’s Center for First World War Studies, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Check out the Jeffrey S. Reznick website.

Find out more about John Galsworthy and Disabled Soldiers of the Great War