For a Life beyond Governing Persons: Alternative Reflections on Political Life History in Britain (and Beyond)

Cohen, Gidon; Morgan, Kevin

doi:10.1111/1478-9302.12033

For a Life beyond Governing Persons: Alternative Reflections on Political Life History in Britain (and Beyond)

Cohen, Gidon; Morgan, Kevin

Authors

Professor Gidon Cohen gidon.cohen@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Kevin Morgan

Abstract

R.A.W. Rhodes is to be applauded for restating the case for life history methods within the field of political studies, and many of his arguments will be found unexceptionable by those actively working with such methods. Ironically, in his recent contribution to Political Studies Review Rhodes nevertheless eschews biographical and other forms of complexity in favour of essentialising comparison. A ‘British tradition of political biography’ is constructed according to inert criteria lacking explicit periodisation and excluding much current work. An overstated contrast is drawn between this tradition and an Australian one defined according to quite different disciplinary and chronological parameters. This article offers alternative reflections drawing on work on labour movement biographies developed through practices of transnational scholarly exchange and the rejection of methodological nationalism. Addressing the examples provided by Rhodes, and the use of life histories in his other recent work, we propose a life history method that goes beyond Governing Men.

Citation

Cohen, G., & Morgan, K. (2015). For a Life beyond Governing Persons: Alternative Reflections on Political Life History in Britain (and Beyond). Political Studies Review, 13(4), 506-509. https://doi.org/10.1111/1478-9302.12033

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Apr 5, 2013
Online Publication Date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication Date	Nov 1, 2015
Deposit Date	Feb 8, 2016
Publicly Available Date	Nov 15, 2021
Journal	Political Studies Review
Print ISSN	1478-9299
Electronic ISSN	1478-9302
Publisher	Political Studies Association
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	13
Issue	4
Pages	506-509
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1111/1478-9302.12033

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Copyright Statement
Cohen, Gidon & Morgan, Kevin (2015). For a Life beyond Governing Persons: Alternative Reflections on Political Life History in Britain (and Beyond). Political Studies Review (13:4) pp. 506-519. Copyright © 2013 (The Authors). DOI: 10.1111/1478-9302.12033.