Description
Dive into the compelling narrative of cricket through 'Different Class,' a thought-provoking trade paperback that redefines the social fabric of England's beloved sport. Published by RANDOM HOUSE US in 2022, this 320-page exploration invites readers to re-evaluate cricket from the ground up, highlighting its role in fostering division rather than unity across class lines. This brand-new edition, identified by ISBN 9781913462802, challenges conventional perceptions by situating cricket in its broader social, political, and economic context. C.L.R. James’s renowned inquiry—'What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know?'—serves as the foundational question prompting a radical departure from traditional cricket narratives. Discover how the sport's early amateurism played a pivotal role in fortifying class distinctions, shaping two contrasting cricket cultures in Northern and Southern England. 'Different Class' investigates not just the exclusion of Black and South Asian players but also the profound barriers posed by social class, revealing the hidden biases entrenched in English cricket’s institutional structures. This insightful book is essential reading for anyone passionate about sports history, societal dynamics, and the ongoing conversation surrounding class and race in contemporary England. Order your copy today and gain a new perspective on what cricket represents in a divided society. Enjoy swift delivery when you purchase from Smartfox NZ.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781913462802
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2022
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE US
Pages: 320
Description:
In telling the story of cricket from the bottom up, Different Class demonstrates how the "quintessentially English" game has done more to divide, rather than unite, the English.
In 1963, the West Indian Marxist C.L.R. James posed the deceptively benign question- "What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know?"
A challenge to the public to re-consider cricket and its meaning by placing the game in its true social, political and economic context, James was, all too subtly, attempting to counter the game's orthodox history that, he argued, had played a key role in the formation of national culture. As a consequence, he failed, and the history of cricket in England has retained the same stresses and lineaments as it did a century ago - until now.
In examining recreational rather than professional (first-class) cricket, Different Class does not simply challenge the widely accepted orthodoxy of English cricket, it demonstrates how the values and belief systems at its heart were, under the guise of amateurism, intentionally developed in order to divide the English along class lines at every level of the game.
If the creation of opposing class-based cricket cultures in the North and South of England grew out of this process, the institutional structures developed by those in charge of English cricket continue to discriminate. But, as much as the exclusion of Black and South Asian cricketers from the recreational mainstream is the most obvious example, it is social class that remains the greatest barrier to participation in what used to be the national game.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781913462802
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2022
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE US
Pages: 320
Description:
In telling the story of cricket from the bottom up, Different Class demonstrates how the "quintessentially English" game has done more to divide, rather than unite, the English.
In 1963, the West Indian Marxist C.L.R. James posed the deceptively benign question- "What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know?"
A challenge to the public to re-consider cricket and its meaning by placing the game in its true social, political and economic context, James was, all too subtly, attempting to counter the game's orthodox history that, he argued, had played a key role in the formation of national culture. As a consequence, he failed, and the history of cricket in England has retained the same stresses and lineaments as it did a century ago - until now.
In examining recreational rather than professional (first-class) cricket, Different Class does not simply challenge the widely accepted orthodoxy of English cricket, it demonstrates how the values and belief systems at its heart were, under the guise of amateurism, intentionally developed in order to divide the English along class lines at every level of the game.
If the creation of opposing class-based cricket cultures in the North and South of England grew out of this process, the institutional structures developed by those in charge of English cricket continue to discriminate. But, as much as the exclusion of Black and South Asian cricketers from the recreational mainstream is the most obvious example, it is social class that remains the greatest barrier to participation in what used to be the national game.