Synopses & Reviews
This volume examines the range of responses to Margaret Thatcher's death in relation to the cultural discourses surrounding Thatcher in the 1980s and since her resignation. The responses examined include the anticipation of Thatcher's death in anti-Thatcher songs, official responses from politicians, social media responses, obituaries, picture tributes and the ceremonial funeral. In drawing from such a diverse range of responses, Hadley seeks to problematise the distinction between respectful and disrespectful responses. The analysis highlights how these responses blur the distinction between the public and the private in focusing on the personal aspects of Thatcher and the extent to which this is implicated in gender politics. Hadley suggests that this tactic is used by both supporters and critics of Thatcher and that it actually served to foreclose a critical engagement with Thatcher's political legacy.
About the Author
Louisa Hadley has taught at universities and colleges in both the UK and Canada. She currently teaches literature courses at Dawson College in Montreal. She is the author of Neo-Victorian Fiction and Historical Narrative: The Victorians and Us (2010) and co-editor of Thatcher and After: Margaret Thatcher and her Afterlife in Contemporary Culture (2010).
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Anticipating Thatcher's Death
2. Political Responses to Thatcher's Death
3. Social Media Responses to Thatcher's Death
4. Obituaries of Margaret Thatcher
5. Picturing Thatcher
6. 'A Proper Send-off' for Thatcher
Conclusion
Bibliography