National Identity Flashcards
What is nationality?
•National identity refers to someone’s identity in relation to a country- the country they were born, live in or have a passport for
•National identity is often expressed through supporting your national team, also through pride, the anthem flag and language
How are national identities created and reinforced?:
Agent- Religion
Explain Jessica Jacobsons study
•Jessica Jacobson found Islam is crucial in creating the national identity of young Pakistanis. She created a booked called “Islam Transitions” and focuses on ways Islamic religion creates powerful loyalties to Pakistani identity
•Young Pakistanis adherence to their religion has a strong impact on their national identity in terms of diet, fasting, worship, modesty, behaviour and everyday routines and practices
How are national identities created and reinforced?:
Agent- Media
Explain the study by Anderson “imagined communication”
•Benedict Anderson argued a ‘nation’ is an imagined community in that member of nations won’t meet most of this fellow members and so national identity is socially constructed through the flag and the anthem and rituals like national holidays
•Anderson’s concept of the “imagined community”, media is largely responsible for creating a national identity
•The printing press allowed the distribution of national languages around the word
How are national identities created and reinforced?:
Agent- Education
Explain Audrey Oslers study~ national curriculum
•According to Audrey Osler, the introduction of the national curriculum aimed to create a strong sense of national identity
•The national council of curriculum assessment had knowledge of Britain’s diverse society (however curriculum tends to be England focused)
•In 2015, schools and sixth forms have been urged to promote “fundamental British values”. Ofsted states the British values are:
-democracy
-the rule of law
-individual liberty
-mutual respect
How are national identities created and reinforced?:
Agent- Media
Explain Billigs study on banal nationalism
•Michael Billig (1995) coined the concept of banal nationalism to refer to unnoticed, ordinary signs of nationalism e.g flags on public building that reproduce the nation on a daily basis
•These mundane reproductions of nation enable the mobilisation of national sentiments in moments where national celebration is required e.g royal weddings
How are national identities changing?:
Explain Heath and Roberts- The decline of British national identity
•over past 20yrs there’s been a decline in British citizens who feel their British identity to be their primary national identity
•A report by Heath and Roberts (2006) shows since 1971 number of English, Welsh and Scottish residents who consider their nationality to be British has fallen
•By 2006 English people were 24% less likely to describe themselves as British instead of English
How are national identities changing?:
Explain Halsey’s theory- Americanisation?
•Our lives are becoming hopelessly Americanised, says professor A H.Halsey
•The dominance of American culture means it is difficult to pinpoint Britishness according to A H.Halsey
How are national identities changing?:
Explain Sadar’s theory- Global identity crisis :American or European?
•Sadat (2002) suggests the world is in a global crisis as East vs West and Capitalist vs communists divides have broken down •Britain is unsure about whether it should become more American or more European
•Englishness was based on historical tradition which is meaningless today so there is a struggle to find an ‘English identity’.
How are national identities changing?:
Explain Stuart Hall- Response to globalisation
•Others argue national identity will become less significant in todays globalised society
•National boundaries and cultures are less significant - media contributes to this
•Hall suggested these countries may display different reactions to globalisation such as:
1)cultural homogenisation - May accept a global culture, and all countries will become more similar
2)Cultural hybridity - take in some parts of global culture alongside their traditional culture, and develop a new but still individual culture
3)Cultural resistance - Resist global culture and protect their heritage
