David Swift (author) explained

David Swift (born 1987) is an English writer and historian.^[1]

Swift studied history at Girton College, University of Cambridge.^[2] His work focuses on left-wing activism and on different 'identities', such as class, race and gender.^[3] Swift has written for a variety of newspapers and periodicals including the New Statesman,^[4] Tribune (magazine),^[5] The Times,^[6] The Independent^[7] and UnHerd.^[8]

Swift's first book, a history of the British Left during the First World War, was described by reviewer Prof Peter Stansky as ‘an important contribution to the ever-fascinating subject of the history of the British left [and] the development of the Labour party’.^[9]

Swift's second book, A Left for Itself,^[10] was the first analysis of 'political hobbyism' in the UK,^{[11] [12]} and focused on what he termed 'performative radicalism' in the era of the internet and social media.^[13] It was heralded as a definitive analysis of the failure of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party at the 2019 United Kingdom general election.^[14]

In 2022 Swift published his third book, The Identity Myth,^{[15] [16]} which interrogated common understandings of different 'identities' such as class, race, gender, and generation.^[17] It was a Next Big Idea Club finalist for 2022.^[18]

Works

• For Class and Country: the Patriotic Left and the First World War (2017)
• A Left for Itself: Left-wing Hobbyists and Performative Radicalism (2019)
• The Identity Myth: Why We Need to Embrace our Differences to Beat Inequality (2022)

References

1. Web site: Speakers: David Swift . Battle of Ideas Festival.
2. Web site: The Identity Myth .
3. Web site: The Identity Myth .
4. Web site: David Swift, author at New Statesman . The New Statesman.
5. Web site: David Swift . Tribune . 1 December 2022.
6. News: Swift . David . Until they are willing to compromise, Corbynistas will remain hobbyists . The Times . 1 December 2022.
7. Web site: Author: David Swift. The Independent.
8. Web site: David Swift, a writer for UnHerd .
9. Stansky . Peter . David Swift . For Class and Country: The Patriotic Left and the First World War. . Journal of British Studies . 2018 . 57 . 2 . 443–444 . 10.1017/jbr.2018.50. free .
10. Web site: A Left for Itself . Zer0 Books.
11. Web site: 'Today's leftists want to make politics all about themselves' .
12. Web site: Bickerton . James . Middle-class Corbynite 'hobbyists' are pushing working-class out of Labour claims author . Daily Express. 3 November 2019 .
13. Web site: Swallow . Christian . Protesting should be about wanting change, not for personal identity . Varsity . 1 December 2022.
14. News: Aaronovitch . David . A Left for Itself by David Swift review — why the Corbynistas got clobbered . The Times.
15. Book: The Identity Myth . Hachette. 16 August 2021 . 9780349135335 .
16. News: Bloodworth . James . The Identity Myth by David Swift review — identity politics... isn't it a bit racist? . The Times . 1 December 2022.
17. Web site: Bloodworth . James . The Conservatives' levelling up love affair with the working class was over before it began . The New Statesman . February 2022 . 1 December 2022.
18. Web site: The Identity Myth: Why We Need to Embrace Our Differences to Beat Inequality . Next Big Idea Club.