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Hall, Stuart.: The hard road to renewal (1988, Verso) 5 stars

Stuart Hall: needed now, more than ever

5 stars

A perceptive analysis of the rise of Thatcherism, and the failure of the left to successfully combat it, this book reprints 19 essays that Hall wrote between 1978 and 1988. A couple of the essays around the middle of the book seemed a bit misplaced, including an analysis of the decline of liberalism around the turn of the 20th century, but so much of the rest of the book could, rather depressingly, have been written last week rather than 40 years ago. In particular, the emphasis on narratives and culture over policies, seems still hugely relevant. Also refers to his concept of "Authoritarian Populism" which, again, seems rather pertinent...