Whiteness and the Visual Appropriation of Race in 1980s Britain

Regular price €192.20
Quantity:
In stock with our UK publisher. 14-28 days
Delivery/Collection within 10-20 working days
14 days return policy Shipping & Delivery
20th century
A01=Stephanie Polsky
AIDS
art history
Asia
Author_Stephanie Polsky
black
Black Arts Movement
Bob Geldof
Brexit
British cultural history
Category=ABA
Category=AGA
Category=GTM
Category=JBCC1
Category=JBSL
Category=JHB
Category=NHD
cinema
class
colonial
colonialism
concert
contemporary art
critical race theory
culture
David Bowie
diaspora
Dire Straits
empire
England
eq_art-fashion-photography
eq_bestseller
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
fashion
film
gender
gender and sexuality studies
Gilbert and George
HIV
immigrant
immigration
imperialism
Live Aid
London
magazine
Margaret Thatcher
mass media
media
media representation
Mick Jagger
migration
movies
MTV
music
national identity
new wave
nightlife
nostalgia
Orientalism
popular
post war
postcolonial identity
Prime Minister
Prince Charles
Princess Diana
racial
racism
Rolling Stones
royal family
royalty
Sade
sexuality
South Africa
television
The Face
TV
twentieth century
United Kingdom
visual art
visual culture studies
visual representation of race in media
Vivienne Westwood
white
Young British Artists
youth

Product details

  • ISBN 9781032897165
  • Weight: 530g
  • Dimensions: 174 x 246mm
  • Publication Date: 15 Oct 2025
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
  • Publication City/Country: GB
  • Product Form: Hardback
Secure checkout Fast Shipping Easy returns

This volume delves into the complex topic of race relations in 1980s Britain by examining the concept of ‘whiteness’ and how it was portrayed visually in popular art and mass media.

Chapters explore pivotal moments in which the appropriation of race occurred during this critical decade as they relate to the nation’s evolving postcolonial identity. This book analyses pivotal cultural moments in print media, fashion, film, television, music video, art, and live events that exemplify how race, gender, and sexuality became operative in the way Britain imagined itself in this crucial decade. It contends that the lens of its former colonial empire played a significant role in shaping Britain’s self-image throughout the 1980s despite its appearance as a postcolonial and multicultural nation.

The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, visual culture, media studies, cultural studies, and critical race theory.

Stephanie Polsky is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies at Pratt Institute.

More from this author