A minority and the state : travellers in Britain in the twentieth century / Becky Taylor.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Taylor, Becky (Lecturer in history)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nomads--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Nomads.

Minorities--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Minorities.

History.

Great Britain--Ethnic relations.

Great Britain.

Ethnic relations.

Physical Description:

ix, 246 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Manchester ; New York : Manchester University Press, 2008.

Summary:

This book is a much-needed general history of Britain's travelling communities in the twentieth century. The book draws together detailed archival research at the local and national level to explore the impact of state and legislative developments affecting Travellers, as well as their experiences of missions, education, war and welfare in the twentieth century.

Crucially, it argues that their history must not be dealt with in isolation, as Travellers, along with the rest of British society, were affected by increased regulation and state interference, war, pressures on land, motorisation, mechanisation and the growth of consumerism. In this context of massive social change, the book relates Travellers' history to the general expansion of government functions over the century, and its relationship to minority groups more generally. It argues that romanticised and largely unfounded stereotypes of 'Gypsies' had a profound impact, not only on popular imagination and acceptance of Traveller lifestyles, but also on legislation and state treatment of travelling communities.

It will be of interest to scholars and students concerned with minority groups, the welfare state and the expansion of government, as well as general readers and practitioners working with Travellers.

Contents:

Part I The early twentieth century and wartime

1 Travellers' lives, 1900-45 27

2 The state and its legal responses 53

3 Education and missions 78

Part II Post-war and the 1960s

4 Travellers' lives, 1945-68 109

5 The state and site provision 133

6 Travellers and the welfare state 156

Part III The later years

7 State developments and Travellers' responses, 1968-2000 187.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

071907567X

9780719075674

OCLC:

181601625