Hamish Fraser Books

Humanists have been a major force in British life since the turn of the 20th century. Here, leading historians of religious non-belief Callum Brown, David Nash, and Charlie Lynch examine how humanist organisations brought ethical reform and rationalism to the nation as it faced the moral issues of the modern world. This book provides a long overdue account of this dynamic group.Developing through the Ethical Union (1896), the Rationalist Press Association (1899), the British Humanist Association (1963) and Humanists UK (2017), Humanists sought to reduce religious privilege but increase humanitarian compassion and human rights.After pioneering legislation on blasphemy laws, dignity in dying and abortion rights, they went on to help design new laws on gay marriage, and sex and moral education. Internationally, they endeavoured to end war and world hunger. And with Humanist marriages and celebration of life through Humanist funerals, national ritual and culture have recently been transformed.Based on extensive archival and oral-history research, this is the definitive history of Humanists as an ethical force in modern Britain.

The western world is becoming atheist. In the space of three generations, churchgoing and religious belief have become alien to millions. We are in the midst of one of humankind's great cultural changes. How has this happened?Becoming Atheist offers the most thorough analysis of this phenomenon to date, exploring through their own words how people have come to live their lives as if there is no God. It tells the stories of those who have come to secular lives in Britain, western Europe, the United States and Canada, mostly from Christian and Jewish backgrounds. Based on interviews with over 80 people born in 18 countries, Callum Brown shows that a long-latent humanism has been roused in the post-1945 secularising west. Focusing on the gender, ethnic and childhood dimensions of atheists from the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada and Europe, the author looks at how the religious condition of the western world changed during the 20th and 21st centuries.By listening to individuals' life stories, this book moves away from mere statistical or broad cultural analysis. Making extensive use of frank, humorous and sometimes harrowing personal testimony, Becoming Atheist exposes the people's role in renegotiating their own identities and fashioning a secular and humanist culture for the western world.

Revealing how conservative Christians acted as moral vigilantes from 1945-65, this study exposes Britain's most powerful vigilante body, the Public Morality Council, an appendage of the Church, and how they badgered government and local councils into censoring sexual knowledge and atheist viewpoints until their spectacular collapse from 1965-80.

Postmodernism is the biggest thing to hit the History profession for almost 200 years. This work offers a guide to postmodern theory, discusses how historians have used it in their research and writing, and assesses criticisms and ways of responding to them. It serves as a companion to courses on Historical Theory and Historiography.

This famous and comprehensive study presents the causes and effects of the 'mass market' revolution between 1850 and 1914, which led to our 'modern' world. The changes were unprecedented, extraordinary, democratic, and wide-ranging. They affected everyone. They still do so. This is a fascinating and wide-ranging account of the evolution of the 'mass' market consumer. And of the evolution of the retailing and leisure industries, with the enormous changes they made in the daily lives of the people. The author draws on much detailed contemporary economic and social data - including detailed family budgets - to demonstrate what happened. Professor Hamish Fraser shows that the standard of living of the British population rose in the late nineteenth-century as better health care and the new supplies of better foods, competitive prices, and new distribution methods had a dramatic impact on living standards, and on the extent of life itself. What had been luxuries became necessities, too; what had been scarce or exclusive - such as many exotic fresh fruits from abroad - became commonly available. Professor Fraser examines the social and economic causes and effects of this ongoing 'revolution'. For the first time most British people were able to buy better food and clothing. They gained access to better health care, and to many new goods and services, including new leisure opportunities - in many spectator and participatory sports, in seaside trips, and in such things as tickets for the popular music hall. The demand in the 'mass' market had an important impact on living standards, and with its effect on retailing and production. New multiples and department stores offered more efficient distribution. Competitive pricing was the 'norm'. Widespread advertising was introduced. The advent of canning and of refrigeration - together with cheaper and faster rail and ship transport - brought many new products to Britain to meet new 'mass' demand. The impact of rapid American and Germany industrial growth impacted on what was provided, and at what for many were affordable prices.