Matthew Worley

Matthew Worley is a British historian, author, and professor whose research focuses on twentieth-century British political history, youth culture, and popular music. Born in Norwich, England, he studied history at the University of Nottingham, where he earned both his bachelor's degree and doctorate. He later joined the University of Reading, becoming Professor of Modern History and establishing himself as a leading scholar of British political movements, particularly the intersections of politics, class, and youth culture.

Worley first gained recognition for his research into the British labour movement, communism, and fascism, publishing influential works such as Class Against Class, Labour Inside the Gate, and Oswald Mosley and the New Party. In recent years, he has become especially well known for his studies of British punk and post-punk culture. His books No Future: Punk, Politics and British Youth Culture, 1976–1984 and Zerox Machine: Punk, Post-Punk and Fanzines in Britain, 1976–1988 examine how music, politics, and youth movements shaped late twentieth-century Britain. He is also a co-founder of the Subcultures Network and co-editor of the journal Twentieth Century Communism.

Regarded as one of Britain's foremost historians of modern political and cultural history, Worley's work combines rigorous archival research with an accessible writing style. His publications have significantly influenced the study of British radical politics, youth subcultures, and popular music, helping bridge the fields of history, sociology, and cultural studies.