Policing and Protest in Manchester: The Moss Side Riots
Examine the background and legacy of the Moss Side Riots in 1981, and explore key contemporary issues of policing and racism.
813 enrolled on this course
Duration
6 weeksWeekly study
2 hours100% online
How it works
Policing and Protest in Manchester: The Moss Side Riots
Understand what civil unrest tells us about our communities
The recent Black Lives Matter protests and riots across the world following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have highlighted difficult legacies from the past and provoked reflection about our shared histories.
On this course, you’ll explore the riots that occurred in Moss Side, Manchester in July 1981, learning more about the historical experiences of ethnic minority communities in England.
Discover the history of the Moss Side riots
You’ll explore what life was like in Moss Side and Manchester at the time, and take a close look at the short- and long-term causes of the riots in 1981.
Taking a broader view of British history, you’ll also examine how the riots in Manchester compared to similar disturbances that year in Brixton and Toxteth.
Consider the social impact of the riots
Alongside noted Mancunian historian Wesley Fleure, you’ll investigate how the country and the media reacted to the unrest, how it changed Manchester, and explore the relevance of Social Contract Theory in modern Britain.
Ultimately, you’ll use the riots as a tool to explore contemporary issues surrounding racism, policing, and protest, evaluating the effectiveness of civil disobedience as a method of protest and learn what the rioters were able to achieve.
Syllabus
Week 1
An introduction to the Moss Side Riots
What were the Moss Side Riots?
A short introduction to the course
Moss Side erupts
A narrative of the riots on 8th - 9th July 1981.
What is Social Contract Theory?
An introduction to Social Contract Theory
Conclusion
What have we learned this week?
Week 2
What was Moss Side like in 1981?
A history of Moss Side
A summary of the evolution of Moss Side in the decades before the riots
Moss Side's cultural history
Moss Side's multi-cultural population made it an exciting and vibrant place to grow up. Its night life attracted visitors from across Manchester.
Problems for the Moss Side Community before 1981
This section explores the problems facing Moss Side in the 1970s that helped increase tensions.
Conclusion: was trouble in Moss Side inevitable?
A summary of this week's topic
Week 3
What caused the Moss Side Riots?
The causes of the Moss Side Riots: introduction
An introduction into the many causes of the Moss Side Riots and an analysis of the complexity of explaining events.
The Brixton Riots April 1981
A summary of the Brixton Riots as a way of understanding the Moss Side Riots
The Toxteth Riots July 1981
A crucial influence on the Moss Side Riots were the riots in Toxteth, Liverpool, which started a few days before those in Manchester.
Unemployment in the early 1980s
An overview of the economic problems of the early 1980s and the increasing unemployment.
Policing and the Moss Side Riot
A discussion of the policing of the Moss Side community and the resentment this caused.
Conclusion: what best explains the Moss Side riots?
A chance for you to discuss whether you think the riots were inevitable or not.
Week 4
The reaction to the Moss Side Riots
Why is media portrayal of the riots so important?
This section looks at the key issues about media portrayal and the different ways people were told about the riots.
Part 1: the reaction of the media
This section discusses how the riot was portrayed in the print media and how a hostile narrative was created of the rioters and their intentions.
Part 2: the political reaction
This section examines what the response to the riots was in the government, the debates in the Houses of Parliament and the wider responses in society.
Conclusion: the "myths of Moss Side"
We discuss the issues raised in this unit so far.
Week 5
Reports and Recommendations
The Hytner Report
This section looks at the formal inquiries that were set up in the aftermath of the Moss Side Riots.
The Moss Side Defence Committee
Members of the Moss Side community set up their own group to represent their views.
The Scarman Report
This looks at how the Moss Side riots played part of a wider debate within Britain about the causes and significance of the events of the summer of 1981.
Conclusion: reports and reactions
A summary of week 5
Week 6
What did the Moss Side Riots achieve?
Introduction - what did the riots achieve?
An introduction to the final week which explores the consequences of the Moss Side Riots.
Did the Moss Side Riots achieve better policing?
An examination of the impact the riots had in the long-term
Social Contract Theory & the Moss Side Riots
This allows us to consider the impact of the riots through the prism of Social Contract Theory
Conclusion: policing and protest
Here you will have the chance to create a social contract fit for the challenges of the modern world.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Assess the relevance of Social Contract Theory in modern Britain
- Explain what life was really like in Moss Side at the time of the riots
- Identify the short and long term causes of the violence
- Identify similarities and differences between the Moss Side Riot and other disturbances in 1981, such as in Brixton and Toxteth
- Engage with how Britain reacted to the Moss Side Riots, including in the media and Parliament
- Evaluate the effectiveness of civil disobedience as a method of protest
- Describe what happened during the Moss Side Riot in 1981
Who is the course for?
This course would appeal to learners interested in issues of racism, protest, policing and other topical debates. It would be of particular interest to school students studying history and politics, but no specialist knowledge is required.
Who will you learn with?
History teacher at Manchester Grammar School.
History teacher at The Manchester Grammar School with a particular interest in modern political history.
History and Citizenship teacher from London with an interest in post-war European History and Political Theory
Who developed the course?
Manchester Grammar School
Our history dates back to the time of Henry VIII, when The Manchester Grammar School was founded in 1515 by Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, to provide ‘godliness and good learning’ to the poor boys of Manchester.
The School proceeded to build a reputation as one of the country’s leading educational establishments, a position it still holds today as an independent day school.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
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| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $104/one-off payment | $349.99 for one year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 6 Jun 2024 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$349.99 for one year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$104/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 6 Jun 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
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