Nationality and Identity

Question 1

Nationality

Answer 1

The status of belonging to a particular nation

Question 2

National Identity

Answer 2

The Identity of the whole country
AND
An individual also has a national identity that may affect how they see themselves

Question 3

Anderson (1983)

Answer 3

Argues that a ‘nation’ is an ‘imagined community’, in that members of a nation will never meet most of their fellow members, and so a national identity is socially constructed through symbols such as the flag and the anthem, and rituals such as national holidays and festivals.
Anderson argues that the social construction of national identities was facilitated by developments in printing technology leading to the mass circulation
of newspapers and books, which created a ‘national’ language.
Contemporary examples of this can be seen in media coverage of international sporting events, but also conflicts and disasters, where the fate of British people involved is given a higher status than that of others and we are encouraged to get behind our nation’s interests.

Question 4

Guibernau and Goldblatt (2000)

Answer 4

1) A Common Language (English is part of cultural identity)
2) Education ( History to promote national identity)
3) War (reinforced a sense of ‘them’ and ‘us’, and especially the uniquely British themes of self-sacrifice, heroism and putting up with exceptional hardship)
4) The British Empire-Britain’s success as an imperial power in the 18th century and 19th centuries brought economic success and a sense of achievement in what was perceived as British superiority over other cultures and races.
5) Monarchy- The cultural symbols of British nationality, in particular, the anthem God Save the Queen and the Union Jack were invented in order to place the monarchy at the heart of British identity.

Question 5

Changing National Identities

Answer 5

Britain, having lost its empire and feeling very small in a global world, is unsure about whether it should become more American or more European. ‘Englishness’ was based on historical traditions that are meaningless to the vast majority living there today, so there is a struggle to find an ‘English’ identity.
Argues that to develop a more confident identity, we must embrace diversity but also focus on what makes us the same – our common humanity.

Question 6

Waters (1995)

Answer 6

Globalisation-Transnational companies and international financial markets increasingly dominate world trade. British companies and products are taken over by foreign companies.
American culture is also taking over the high street e.g. McDonalds and Starbucks. American products may erode Britishness creating a single commercialised culture offering mass entertainment.

Question 7

Multiculturalism

Answer 7

Modood found that Asians and African Caribbean’s did not feel comfortable with a British identity because they felt that the majority of white people did not accept them as British because of their colour and their cultural background.

Question 8

Responses to Globalisation

Answer 8

Stuart Hall (1991) suggested that countries may display three different reactions to globalisation:
1 They may accept a global culture and all countries
will become more similar, which he referred to as
’cultural homogenisation’.
2 They may take in some parts of global culture
alongside their more traditional culture, and develop a new but still individual culture, which he called ‘cultural hybridity’.
3 They may resist global culture and fiercely protect their cultural heritage, becoming more traditional and nationalistic, which he called ‘cultural resistance’.