I’m Jack McGowan. I am currently researching a PhD on ‘Harmony and discord within the English ‘Counter-Culture’, 1965-1975, with particular reference to the ‘Rock Operas’ Hair, Tommy, Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar‘ within the Department of History at Queen Mary, University of London. My research is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. I am supervised by Dr Dan Todman, author of The Great War: Myth and Memory; for which he was named Times Higher Young Academic Author of the Year 2006.

My primary research interest is British society c.1960-c.1990, particularly when viewed through the arenas of cultural representation, the cultural industries, and national, collective interpretation. I use an interdisciplinary approach to examine what the mainstream press, film and TV, pop music and the performing arts can tell us about the ‘zeitgeist’ of the times. By addressing the overlap, friction and conflict between popular and ‘highbrow’ culture and ‘high’ and ‘revolutionary’ politics and popular opinion I aim to interrogate and challenge how and why ‘agreed’, sustained concepts of recent decades have been formed.

My first article - “Dispute”, “Battle”, “Siege”, “Farce”? Grunwick 30 Years On - in the journal Contemporary British History is now available online and will appear in print in Volume 22 Issue 3 in September 2008. This article develops upon my MA dissertation, Reduced Snapshots and Enlarged Negatives? Grunwick: The Left, The Right, The Media, which was supervised by Dr Peter Catterall. On completion of my MA, with Distinction, in Twentieth-Century History at Queen Mary in 2005 I was awarded both ‘The MacMillan-Palgrave Prize’ and ‘The Drapers’ Company Postgraduate Award for Academic Excellence’. I also currently teach the QMUL undergraduate History courses The Road From 1945: Britain since the Second World War and Historical Writing for Undergraduates.

Between 1990 and 2004 I worked throughout Britain as an actor, musician, musical director and, occasionally, director, teacher and stage manager. I remain actively involved in the performing arts and a member of Equity. My acting credits can be seen in the Spotlight directory. In 2006-07 I taught the undergraduate course Performance in History in QMUL’s Department of Drama. I have also been a guest teacher of theatre history with Midwestern State University of Texas.

My experience as a creative practitioner and my previous study and training inform my ‘trans-disciplinary’ approach to Contemporary History:
2004-05 - MA (with Distinction) in Twentieth Century British History, Queen Mary, University of London.
2003-04 - studied Cultural Studies and Film & TV History with the Open University, graduating with a BA (Open) (Honours) (First Class).
1993-96 - Diploma in Drama (Acting) (with Merit), Queen Margaret College (now University), Edinburgh.
1989-92- BA (majoring in Social & Economic History and Spanish), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
1987-89 - studied Music (Piano & Voice) at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, Glasgow, completing two years of a BA (Music Performance).

Follow this link if you would like to contact me about any aspect of my research.

If you would like to read the detailed chapter synopses on the password-protected ‘PhD Thesis’ pages, simply leave a comment on any blog post and I will make them available to you.

Photos: Studio Scotland, 2003.