Professor Pat Thane

Biography

Pat Thane graduated in Modern History from Oxford, then gained her PhD at London School of Economics in the Department of Social Science and Administration. She was, successively, a Reader in Social History in the Department of Social Sciences at Goldsmiths College, University of London. She then went on to become a Professor of Contemporary History in the School of Social Sciences at University of Sussex from 1994-2001. During her time at Sussex she was Chair of the History Subject Group from 1998-2001.

Dr Thane soon went on to become a Leverhulme Professor of Contemporary British History, Institute of Historical Research, with the University of London, 2001-10. She has, since, become an Emeritus Professor with the University of London and was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2006. She has held the role of Visiting Professor at several institutions around the world including Nanjing University, China, Kyoto University, Japan and Macquarie University, Australia and has been frequently interviewed on radio and TV.

Research

Dr Pat Thane research interests include 20^th century British social and political history including on aspects of social policy, gender relations and the history of the labour movement. Her research focuses upon inequalities and social policy in Britain, c. 1900 to the present, especially focusing upon age, gender, poverty. My most recent book is Divided Kingdom. A History of Britain 1900 to the Present (CUP 2018).

Teaching

Dr Pat Thane teaches on the MA in Politics and Contemporary History: modules on Welfare and the State in Britain 1900-1945, 1945-present and contributes to modules on politics and society since c. 1900.

She currently supervises seven PhD students and has supervised many to successful completion on aspects of 20^th century British social and political history including on aspects of social policy, gender relations and the history of the labour movement.