Julia Neville Heroes and Leaders Workshop March 2013 – Exeter University

1. No More Civil Disobedience?New Role Models for Women after the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919 Julia Neville Heroes and Leaders Workshop March 2013 – Exeter University

2. Where I’m coming from • Variations in interwar local government decisions • Public policy theory • Advocacy Coalition Framework • Interest groups • Core Beliefs as the basis for decision-making • Would ‘heroes’ help?

3. Advocacy Coalition Framework

4. Core Beliefs -as characterised in the ACF -

5. Women in 1919 • As well as the right to vote (for some) … • New opportunities to take on public roles • County Councillors • Members of Parliament • Jurors • Magistrates (JPs) • Were the old ‘models’ and ‘heroes’ fit for the new purposes?

6. The Old Image …- militant suffragettes broke the law and paid the penalty -

7. The New Image- Lady Astor elected to serve as Member of Parliament -

8. The Periclean Ideal Every Athenian citizen profoundly believed in and loved his city, and was prepared to work and, if necessary, to die for her. To serve the city was the object of every man, and those who served her best were held in the highest honour, while those who did no public work were regarded with contempt. That was the secret of the greatness of Athens. The contrast with Manchester is depressing … E.W. Simon, A City Council from Within, 1926, pp. 234-5

9. Justice, Prejudice and Woman

10. Heroes of the Suffrage Campaign Pageant of Great Women, 1909 • Learned Women & Artists • women are not ‘dumb’ • Queens & Saints • women can fulfil ‘stern duty’ e.g. St Hilda, Elizabeth Fry, Queen Philippa, Queen Victoria • Heroines & Warriors • women can be faithful and endure suffering for a cause e.g. Boadicea, Joan of Arc, Kate Barlass, Florence Nightingale

11. Influence of the Great War -Change and Reinforcement- • Emulation of male heroism and sacrifice • Edith Cavell • The Mother • Reinforcement of women’s nursing and medical roles • Rise of Florence Nightingale

12. Rise and Fall of Women War Heroes Google (British English) Books Ngram

13. Post War Pageant Detail (1)

14. Post War Pageant Detail (2)

15. Post War Pageants – a new roll call • Liberty e.g. Manon Roland, Harriet Beecher Stowe • Christianity e.g. Susannah Wesley, Mary Slessor • Humanity e.g. Sister Dora of Walsall, Edith Cavell • Vision e.g. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Josephine Butler • Motherhood

16. [Dis]Agreement on the Pantheon? • The ‘Angel in the House’? – division amongst women about their roles • Abjuring heroes – don’t look back • Anti-heroes and caricatures

17. Heroes for whom? – in what circumstances? • Not often for women active in public life • In educational contexts • Exhortations • In the ‘national curriculum’ • By special interest groups e.g. Temperance Movement, Sunday School • Influencing the next generation Lady Florence Cecil, 1926

18. Worth further exploration? • Can an understanding of ‘heroes and leaders’ contribute to a better understanding of the core beliefs of interest groups in a public policy system? • Can the Advocacy Coalition Framework contribute to the theoretical framework for understanding how role models and exemplars function?