The submarine: a cultural history from the Great War to nuclear combat

摘要

Duncan Redford's lively and engaging study of the cultural history of Britain's relationship with the submarine reveals it to be a fascinating example of a piece of military technology imbued with a significance way beyond the sum of its parts. In a clear, forthright manner Redford stresses that traditional histories of technology are often uninterested in understanding their cultural construction and thus can produce overly determined explorations which take the evolution of an object as an unproblematic one driven by refinement and improvement. As Redford states, this misses the crucial point that humans invest every piece of technology with certain qualities beginning at the design and development phase which then influence the final outcome. Therefore, understanding the mentalities of those involved in the creative processes and subsequent uses of any object unlocks vital secrets and paves the way for fresh interpretations.