3.3. Developments in the British sense of identity
3.3.1
Along with more palpable changes in cityscapes and cultural habits, the British sense of identity has changed in the course of time. While Britain had always been a country of immigrants (citation needed?), it is only recently that those immigrants have been integrated in the idea of a British national identity.
The idea of a national identity initially began to evolve in the period between the First and Second World War, as that was when radio and cinema were both used increasingly, so that people all over the country were able to listen to and watch the same programmes. (Ward 45) The focus of those programmes was on royal and imperial events that were aimed at connecting the everyday …show more content…
(Ward 49-50) A set of national characteristics as well as a representation of Britishness that embraced parliamentarism, gradualism, liberty and the countryside was established. (Ward 50)
Although the Second World War had made scientific racism indefensible, the population was still divided along racial lines after 1945. (Ward 124) Moreover, there was a racialisation in the concept of British national identity. (Ward 50) In 1947, Sir Ernest Baker came up with the idea of the English gentleman whom he attributed with chivalry and manliness, which was advanced by Geoffrey Gorer who named gentleness, tolerance and abiding the law as central to Englishness. (Ward 51) Those ideals created a unity amongst the British population and in consequence some sense of a cohesive British identity. (Ward 51, …show more content…
(7; p. 4) According to an investigation carried out by the Commission for Racial Equality that aimed at examining Britishness and the role it plays in integration (8; p. 5), citizens’ associations with their national identity range over various dimensions. (8; pp. 6-7) It is often seen as represented by things such as geography, meaning typical topographical features and the British Isles in general, national symbols such as the Union Jack and the royal family, cultural habits like ‘queuing’, sports or fish and chips and other national dishes or the English language and its accents. (8; pp. 6-7) Furthermore they are proud of the nation’s achievements: political and historical as well as technological and scientific, sporting, and cultural. (8; p.
3.3.1
Along with more palpable changes in cityscapes and cultural habits, the British sense of identity has changed in the course of time. While Britain had always been a country of immigrants (citation needed?), it is only recently that those immigrants have been integrated in the idea of a British national identity.
The idea of a national identity initially began to evolve in the period between the First and Second World War, as that was when radio and cinema were both used increasingly, so that people all over the country were able to listen to and watch the same programmes. (Ward 45) The focus of those programmes was on royal and imperial events that were aimed at connecting the everyday …show more content…
(Ward 49-50) A set of national characteristics as well as a representation of Britishness that embraced parliamentarism, gradualism, liberty and the countryside was established. (Ward 50)
Although the Second World War had made scientific racism indefensible, the population was still divided along racial lines after 1945. (Ward 124) Moreover, there was a racialisation in the concept of British national identity. (Ward 50) In 1947, Sir Ernest Baker came up with the idea of the English gentleman whom he attributed with chivalry and manliness, which was advanced by Geoffrey Gorer who named gentleness, tolerance and abiding the law as central to Englishness. (Ward 51) Those ideals created a unity amongst the British population and in consequence some sense of a cohesive British identity. (Ward 51, …show more content…
(7; p. 4) According to an investigation carried out by the Commission for Racial Equality that aimed at examining Britishness and the role it plays in integration (8; p. 5), citizens’ associations with their national identity range over various dimensions. (8; pp. 6-7) It is often seen as represented by things such as geography, meaning typical topographical features and the British Isles in general, national symbols such as the Union Jack and the royal family, cultural habits like ‘queuing’, sports or fish and chips and other national dishes or the English language and its accents. (8; pp. 6-7) Furthermore they are proud of the nation’s achievements: political and historical as well as technological and scientific, sporting, and cultural. (8; p.