50 Years of Becoming a Mother
This project examines women's transition to motherhood over the last 50 years in the UK
The project runs from February 2025 to September 2029 and is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
News
Watch Archival Footage of Ann Oakley discussing the original Becoming a Mother Project
In October 1978, Professor Ann Oakley appeared on Thames Television’s After Noon with Mavis Nicholson. Joined by two mothers from the original Becoming a Mother study, they discuss the realities of first-time motherhood. In this clip, Ann introduces the project. Thanks to Fremantle for providing access to this archival material.
BAM50 paper presented at Politics of Motherhood conference
BAM50 Research Fellow, Kate Errington, presented a paper at the Politics of Motherhood: Maternalism, Maternity and Mothering conference, hosted by the University of Worcester. In it she reflected on the process of re-analysing Oakley’s original transcripts, the practical challenges, ethical implications, and opportunities for identifying “new” research themes using historical data.
Charlotte Faircloth features on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Child’ podcast
How have our ideas about parenting changed over the last 50 years, and specifically, why are we more ‘anxious’ than ever in how to go about it? You can hear BAM50 project leader Charlotte Faircloth on the BBC Radio 4 programme/Podcast ‘Child’, episode 7 on “Anxiety’
Project Leaders
Charlotte Faircloth
Professor of Family and Society at the UCL Social Research Institute and Project Leader of the BAM50 project.
Ann Oakley
Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, is one of the most influential sociologists of post-war Britain, and Co-Project Leader on BAM50.
Meg Wiggins
Senior Research Officer and Lecturer in Social Policy at the UCL Social Research Institute, and Co-Project Leader of BAM50.