Nationality and Identity

Nationality and Identity

1. Kumar 2003 (CS)

   • Discussed that unlike the Scots, Welsh and Irish, the English find it difficult to say who they are - English national identity is elusive.
   • Argues that a long history of the English as an imperial people has developed a sense of 'missionary nationalism'.
   • Also argues that the quest to expand 'Britishness' may have diluted 'Englishness'.

2. Anderson 1983 (CS)

   • Argues that a 'nation' is an 'imagined community' - members of a nation won't meet most of their other members.
   • National identity is socially constructed through symbols such as the flag, anthem, rituals such as national holidays/festivals.
   • Also argues that social construction of national identities are aided by developments in printing technology leading to mass circulation of newspapers/books which created a 'national language'.

3. Dowd and Young 1996 - Nationalist Attitudes (CS)

   • Found that the majority of English, Scots, Welsh expressed nationalistic sentiments. They identified 2 types of nationalism.
     • INCLUSIVE NATIONALISM - willingness to include marginal groups and view the nation as a place where different cultures & groups have a role to play. Grant immigrants/ethnic minorities full civic rights.
     • EXCLUSIVE NATIONALISM - viewpoint focused on maintenance of boundaries excluding immigrants as these people want to keep British sovereignty. They displayed a rather mean minded hatred of foreigners and an intense dislike for European interference in British political and economic affairs. (Minority view).

4. Sardar 2002 - Changing National Identities (CS)

   • Suggests that the world is in the middle of global crisis, by which we have defined ourselves have broken down.
   • As Britain feels small in a global world losing it's empire, its unsure of whether it should become more American or European.
   • 'Englishness' is said to be based on historical traditions that are meaningless to the majority of today's society, so there's a struggle to find an 'English' identity.
   • He argues that to develop a more confident identity, we must embrace diversity but also focus on what makes us the same (our common humanity).

5. Stuart Hall 1991 - Responses to globalisation (CS)

   • Suggests that countries may display 3 different reactions to globalisation.
   • 1) CULTURAL HOMOGENISATION - they may accept global culture and all countries will become more similar.
   • 2) CULTURAL HYBRIDITY - they may take part in some parts of global culture alongside their traditional culture and develop a new but still individual culture.
   • 3) CULTURAL RESISTANCE - they may resist global culture and fiercely protect cultural heritage, becoming more traditional and nationalistic.
   • A03 - There's evidence that all 3 of these responses are happening in different countries around the world including the UK.

6. Darcus Howe 2000 (CS)

   • Argues that in his C4 Documentary 'White Tribe' that as he's someone who grew up in the Caribbean when it was a part of the British Empire, he sees himself as Black and British.
   • Growth of English nationalism seems much more exclusive and 'white' which leaves him questioning where he'd fit in, in a new nationalistic England.
   • A03 - Postmodernists argue that identity is becoming less and less significant in today's society and that the internet & social media have contributed to the breaking down of boundaries.