Tradition and Change - Q2.1

Tradition and Change - Q2.1

1. Examples

   • State Opening of Parliament (16th cent.)
     • procedure : ... → Black Rod sent to summon Commons → doors shut in his face (SYMBOLISES C.´ INDEPENDANCE FROM MONARCHY) → strikes 3 times → then go to Lord`s chamber → listen to speech
     • "Each year when the parliament begins its season, the Queen gives a government written speech outlining the years agenda"

2. Basic info

   • Aspects of a culture
     • Pragmatism → be considerate + do not hold back to speak your mind
     • social cohesion
     • (from) → colonialisation (through) → innovations (to todays) → multilingual nation
     • colonies → multilingual nation
   • Character of a country
     • royal family → no power → fresh, modern image portrayed by the monarchy
     • due to history → immigration to UK
       • shape culture + add to nation`s diversity
   • many time-honoured traditions
   • standardized education in E, W, Ni. → eliminate inequalities (career chances often depend on wealth of fam. + visited school)

3. multiculturalism

   • colonial superpower → many territories → still strong bond (betw. members of Commonwealth)
   • UK → made up of diff. cultures/ identities → need for a continuous process of mutual engagement
   • Integration (into)
     • Becoming a part of diff. culture. Being accepted + involved in society.
     • engender a sense of belonging
   • "destructive M." → no over-arching thread
   • Requirements
     • all cultures should be open
     • self critical → can benefit from critical dialogue w/ other culters bc. no culture is perfect + therefore no c. represents the best life
     • interactive in relations
   • two-way-street → involves two parties
   • successful?
     • [Y E S] multiculturalsim is often norm, seen as enrichment, equal treatment under law, mututal respect
       • multi-racial society → racial purity only myth
     • [N O] PEGIDA + nationalist, limited to urban centres, still prejudices and inequality, existence of parallel society
       • despite progress not fully accomplished and hard to achieve

4. assimilation

   • "A. is a process by which the characteristics of the immigrant groups and host societies come to resemble one another. When immigrants are assimilated into a community, they become an accepted part of it. However many immigrants have not yet fully assimilated into the new culture. Blockfactors may be ... "
     • the lvl. of human capital they bring w/ them, lack of convergence betw. nmewcomers and native majority (racial ethnic discrimination), exacerbate crowding in labour market
       • depends on the host and immigration group and the differences betw. them → bc. theres no fixed time-table governing the completion of the process
       • delay a. not permanently forestalling it

5. Robin Cook "Chicken Tikka Masala"

   • "became fashion for some to argue that British identity is under siege + state of decline"
     • 3 threats
       • arrival of immigrants → diff. cultural values
         • majority not indegenous to B.
         • uniqueness bc.of sheer pluralism
         • asset to variety/ pos. force for economy + lifestyle + cultural horizon, no burden, contribute to ...
           • B. multinational companies w/ its diversity promote economy,
       • continued membership of the EU → allegedly absorbs member states into a country called "Europe"
         • common standards (soc. justice ...)
         • "Euromyth" = EU is a threat to nat. identity
           • E. identity does not diminish Britishness!
             • identity is not a finite substance, made up of various nations
       • devolution of power → step of breaking up of the UK
         • essential → been succesful for B. → mutual strengthens B.identity → working together strengthens the bond betw. nations
       • alleged threats will promote the delopment of a new/ modern B. identity
         • must be based on common values
   • homogenity of B. identity was confined to a relatively brief period
     • History of immigration to UK
       • 400-600 - Anglo-Savon (tribes from northern Europe arrived)
       • 1700 onwards - Chinese + Indians arrived bc. of growing empire + and its trade
       • 1555-1833 - Africans + Indians arrived bc of B.`s involvement in SLAVE TRADE
         • when slavery abolished, former enslaved Africans came to start new life as free ppl
         • Absatz über Multicultural Britain Idea → "fantasy that Britain was a pure Anglo-Saxon society before the arrival of communities from the Carribean/ Asia and Africa (1945 onwards)"
       • 2000 onwards - today, immigrants continuous to come to B. fr. Asia + Europe
         • some arrive as refugees, looking for better jobs
           • some invited to come + share skills
       • 1948 - massive change in B. society → large scale immigr. to UK
         • 1980's - strict controls
       • b4 43 AD - original inhabitants of B were prop. Celts
       • 1560-1720 - french Protestant Christians came to escape persecution → INVISIBLE MINORITY

6. David Cameron "State multiculturalism has failed"

   • suggested actions (see requirements, multic.)
     • therefore build stronger societies + identies → believe in values and promote them as one (defines people as a society)
   • reasons for failing
     • hands off tolerance (encouraging Different cultures to live separate Lives) serves to reinforce the sense that not enough is being shared
   • In Feb. 2011 British Prime Minister C. gave a speech on radicalization and what he saw as the causes of terrorism. The speech angered some Muslim groups. (Mehdi Hasan: back then, hatred was common, now: nation is at relative ease w/ its racial / religions/ cultural diversity )

7. Bradford Riots - 2001 (failed integration)

   • Bradford
     • 19th century → international center of textile → popular bc. they were important producers→ people who were looking for work / better life went there (now: home to most concentrated muslim population) → financial crisis → competition over scarce ressources
       • led to riots
         • tension betw. ethnic minoritiy communities + white majorite (provoked by far right ppl)
           • native majority feels exploited by the asians!
           • reason: poorish place → unemployment rate is high
             • collapse of industry 1978/85 → asian fathers = unemployed → no work → problem bc. no financial source + for their identity → experience highest rate of unemployment
               • White and poor asians COMPETE OVER SAME SCARCE RESSOURCES → RIVALRY
                 • only similarity: problem → all want to succeed (see school system)
                 • "Colour Coding of Areas" (bc of defending areas) → problem: natural establishment of ethnic enclaves + whites leave → soc. segregation increases
             • search for respect → standing one`s ground and fighting
     • Change, 2 keys ...
       • education → schoolsystem handed over to private companies → improved exam results (academic success) → also: chunk of identity
       • improving public services; not forcing cultural change
       • policy → officers are to identify concerns + defuse the EDL demo → reducing racial tensions