History teaching, nationhood, and the state

"Robert Phillips' new book examines the politics of what has become known as the great history debate. Beginning with debates over the teaching of history in the 1960s and 1970s, Phillips traces the politics of history teaching through to the present day. Particular attention is paid to the creation of history in the National Curriculum, using previously unpublished interviews with former Secretaries of State for education and civil servants to shed new light on one of the most contentious reforms of the period." "An appreciation of why history teaching has provoked such controversy permeates the book. Phillips dwells throughout upon history's role in the transmission of cultural heritage and in cultivating a sense of national identity. He shows the way in which, as we approach the new millennium, these debates about the aims and purpose of history are closely connected with future visions of Britishness. This unique and highly accessible account is, therefore, likely to appeal not only to teachers and academic historians, but also to those interested in the cultural and educational politics of the period."--Jacket.