National identity

Question 1

What is nationality?

Answer 1

• Having citizenship of a nation state.
• Involves the rights and responsibilities attached to being a citizen e.g. education or obeying the law.
• Usually based on where you were born, or marriage, but can also be achieved by naturalisation –> where people choose their nationality after meeting legal requirements.

Question 2

What is national identity?

Answer 2

• The feeling of being a part of a larger community in the form of a nation, which gives a sense of purpose and meaning to people’s lives as well as a sense of belonging to a nation state.
• Involves sharing things in common with people of the same nationality, an awareness of differences of those of other nationalities.

Question 3

What is nationalism?

Answer 3

• A sense of pride in and a commitment to a nation.

Question 4

How do functionalists see national identities?

Answer 4

• Functionalists see national identity as important in maintaining social cohesion.
• Durkheim argued that being socialised into a national identity made people feel part of something bigger and to care about society (social solidarity).

Question 5

How do Marxists see national identities?

Answer 5

• Marxists see national identities as a part of false class consciousness.
• People are encouraged to develop a national identity rather than a class identity.
• This results in them being loyal to the ruling class and blaming society’s problems on other nationalities (instead of on capitalism and the ruling class).

Question 6

What are the features of a British Identity?

Answer 6

Britain is a multicultural nation with a wide range of cultural diversity. However, these could be considered features of a British identity:
- Geography: the fact Britain consists of Islands gave it a clear sense of boundaries that made it distinct from Europe.
- Religion: Protestanism is the dominant religious identity in Britain. In times of national celebration, religion plays a central role.
- War: Wars have reinforced the sense of ‘them’ vs ‘us’ and especially in British values.
- The British Empire: Britain’s success as an imperial power brought economic success and a sense of achievement.
- Monarchy: the cultural symbols of British nationality are designed to place the monarchy at the heart of British identity.

Question 7

What did the Prime Minister David Cameron see as defining characteristics of British Identity?

Answer 7

• Commitment to the values of freedom of speech, freedom of worship, democracy, the rule of law, and equal rights.

Question 8

What did the 2014 British Social Attitudes survey find?

Answer 8

• 3/4 or more of people saw speaking English, having British citizenship, respecting Britain’s political institutions and laws and being born in Britain or living most of your life here as very/fairly important for being British.

Question 9

What is an argument against what David Cameron called defining characteristics of British identity?

Answer 9

• It is difficult to say that these values are uniquely British as they are found in most democratic countries.
• The history of British people is very different as well with battles between English and Scots and Irish, and the exploitation of former colonies under the British empire.

Question 10

What are the 6 ways British people are socialised into a British identity?

Answer 10

• Language: all sharing the same language (English) is seen as central for our cultural identity
• Education: the teaching of History, English literature and religion in British schools tends to promo mte national identity.
• National rituals: Royal and state occasions are used to reinforce the British way of life.
• Symbols: these include styles of dress, uniforms, passports, styles of music, national anthems and flags.
• The mass media: television, magazines, and newspapers encourage people to identify with the national symbols such as the Royal family by taking a keep interest in their activities, it also is key for talking up British achievement.
• The mass production of fashion and taste: Britishness can also be embodied in particular foods, consumer goods and retail outlets.

Question 11

Name 4 reasons why Waters suggests that British identity may be under threat?

Answer 11

• Celtic identities
• Globalisation
• Multiculturalism
• English identity