Heroic workers and angry young men: Nostalgic stories of class in England. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lawler, Stephanie
• Is Part Of: European journal of cultural studies. Volume 17:Number 6(2014)
• Page Start: 701
• Page End: 720
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Benjamin -- Bourdieu -- nostalgia -- social class -- time; Culture -- Periodicals; Culture -- Popular -- Periodicals; Culture -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Cross-cultural studies -- Periodicals; 306.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1367549414544114
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-5494

Abstract

This article discusses nostalgic images of white working-class life through the twin figures of 'the heroic worker' and 'the angry young man'. Using a case study of a discussion of Roy Williams' play Vultures, I consider the ways in which nostalgic figures are used to position a contemporary white working class as lacking value. I argue that these nostalgic figures provide anchor points in decline narratives which, I argue, have come to define the ways in which the English white working class are represented. Hence, I argue that some forms of nostalgic class representations may be one means through which continued disparagement of contemporary white working-class people is rendered respectable.