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.

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.

• An introduction to the Moss Side Riots
• What were the Moss Side Riots?
• Moss Side erupts
• What is Social Contract Theory?
• Conclusion
• What was Moss Side like in 1981?
• A history of Moss Side
• Moss Side's cultural history
• Problems for the Moss Side Community before 1981
• Conclusion: was trouble in Moss Side inevitable?
• What caused the Moss Side Riots?
• The causes of the Moss Side Riots: introduction
• The Brixton Riots April 1981
• The Toxteth Riots July 1981
• Unemployment in the early 1980s
• Policing and the Moss Side Riot
• Conclusion: what best explains the Moss Side riots?
• The reaction to the Moss Side Riots
• Why is media portrayal of the riots so important?
• Part 1: the reaction of the media
• Part 2: the political reaction
• Conclusion: the "myths of Moss Side"
• Reports and Recommendations
• The Hytner Report
• The Moss Side Defence Committee
• The Scarman Report
• Conclusion: reports and reactions
• What did the Moss Side Riots achieve?
• Introduction - what did the riots achieve?
• Did the Moss Side Riots achieve better policing?
• Social Contract Theory & the Moss Side Riots
• Conclusion: policing and protest