Online Conference | 14 November 2025
‘Opposition to Thatcher – An Interdisciplinary Conference’
Call for Papers, deadline – 31 August 2025
*Click here to download call for papers*
Conference Aim:
This conference seeks to explore the multifaceted and enduring legacies of opposition to Margaret Thatcher’s transformative and often contentious premiership (1979-1990). Her time in office witnessed significant social, economic, and political upheaval, sparking widespread and diverse forms of resistance. This interdisciplinary gathering aims to revisit, re-evaluate, and reimagine the myriad ways in which individuals, groups, and institutions challenged Thatcherite policies and ideologies.
Desired Papers:
We invite proposals for papers that critically engage with, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Labour and Industrial Resistance:
- The Miners’ Strike and its broader significance
- Trade union responses to legislative reforms
- Workplace activism and alternative economic models
- The impact of deindustrialisation on working-class communities and their resistance
Social Movements and Community Action:
- Anti-nuclear campaigns and peace movements
- Feminist critiques of Thatcherism and gendered resistance
- Anti-racist movements and challenges to nationalism
- LGBTQ+ activism in the context of Section 28
- Community-led initiatives and alternative social provisions
Cultural and Intellectual Opposition:
- Literature, art, and film as forms of dissent
- The role of intellectuals and public intellectuals in critiquing Thatcherism
- Alternative media and counter-narratives
- Satire, humour, and popular culture as tools of resistance
Political and Ideological Alternatives:
- The evolution of the Labour Party and other opposition parties
- The development of alternative economic and social policies
- Local government resistance and experiments in municipal socialism
- The role of religion and faith-based organizations in opposing Thatcherism
Regional and National Variations:
- The impact of Thatcherism and its opposition in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- Comparative perspectives on resistance in other national contexts
- The European dimension of opposition to Thatcherite policies
Long-Term Legacies and Contemporary Relevance:
- The enduring impact of Thatcherism on contemporary politics and society
- The lessons of past oppositional movements for present-day activism
- Reinterpretations of Thatcherism and its critics in historical memory
We encourage submissions from scholars across a range of disciplines, including history, sociology, political science, cultural studies, literature, economics, geography, and beyond. We are particularly interested in papers that offer fresh perspectives, utilise innovative methodologies, and engage with under-explored aspects of the opposition to Thatcher.
Submission Guidelines:
- Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words, along with a brief biographical note (approximately 100 words) including your affiliation and contact information, to either: Peter Farrelly pfarrelly03@qub.ac.uk or Ciara Nicholson cnicholson07@qub.ac.uk
- Deadline for Submissions: Sunday 31 August 2025. Notification of Acceptance: by Sunday 14 September 2025
- Please note that Conference Speakers will be given a 20-minute slot to present their paper (followed by a 10-minute Q&A session).
We anticipate that this conference will foster a vibrant and engaging intellectual environment, providing a crucial platform for the exchange of ideas and the development of new scholarship on this pivotal period in modern history.
We look forward to welcoming you to our conference.
Conference Organisers:
Peter Farrelly, History PhD Candidate at Queen’s University Belfast
Ciara Nicholson, History PhD Candidate at Queen’s University Belfast
Image: Wiki Commons – CC 2.0