Some countries are vastly different. From architecture to greetings, people around the world have built their cultures and societies around the geography, resources available, and themselves. While some powerful nations, such as the United States and China, can differ in nearly every way, in the Western world contrast between the countries becomes minor. This essay will explore the similarities and dissimilarities between Finland and the United Kingdom from interactionist and postmodernist viewpoints, in the areas relating to ethnocentrism, integration, and taboos. When comparing European countries, most differences are found on a behavioural level, for example in a person’s own cultural values and norms, traditions and attitudes. Tools for
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United Kingdom on the other hand does not have just one official national day. The closest Brits get to a unified day of celebration is the Queen’s Official Birthday. For example, the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was celebrated throughout the country by the millions (Sedghi, 2012). The British love for their royal family is evident also with the televised coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, which attracted over 24 million viewers (BBC, 2011). Although the monarchy is often proclaimed to embody Britishness, it does not however go uncriticised, and judged obsolete (Child, 2012). The nations within United Kingdom have their own Saint Days; most famous of which, the Irish and Northern Irish St Patrick’s day, has been celebrated in Ireland for centuries, and increasingly worldwide. Even so, the British can be quite reserved in showing love for their country. Unlike markedly collectivist Finland, United Kingdom is highly globalised and individualistic (Hofstede Insights, 2017), and for this reason it is felt that the show of national pride is rude, or even anti-multicultural (Pilkington, 2008). Thus, the most popular way British express their patriotism is flying one or more of the many flags the country has in national events (e.g. royal weddings or football matches), or at their …show more content…
Whilst many people enjoy homogenisation and the global products accompanying it, others feel like their national heritage is being swallowed. Increasing ‘political correctness’ in institutions and media; the economy allegedly being destroyed by contributions and regulations demanded by the EU; threat of terrorism; and the traditional family values demolished by legalisation of same-sex marriages and adoption; are justifying a surge of support for neo-nationalist figureheads and political parties (Pilkington, 2008). Mead (1934: 6) states, “The stimulus is the occasion for the expression of the impulse.” The nationalist-populist party True Finns’ support has grown from 1% in 1999 to 17.7% in 2017, making it the third most popular party in Finland (Statistics Finland, 2015). Equally, UK Independence Party’s vote share in European elections grew from 7% in 1999 to 27.5% in 2014 (European Parliament, 1999, 2014). Furthermore, Britain’s exit from the EU, not to mention the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, speak of people’s need and strive for national identity. Moreover, police recorded hate crime rates rose by 29% in the United Kingdom between 2016 and 2017 (O’Neill, 2017), and by 34% from 2014 to 2015 in Finland (Police University College, 2017). Amnesty International (2017) notes hate crime reporting spiked following the
United Kingdom on the other hand does not have just one official national day. The closest Brits get to a unified day of celebration is the Queen’s Official Birthday. For example, the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was celebrated throughout the country by the millions (Sedghi, 2012). The British love for their royal family is evident also with the televised coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, which attracted over 24 million viewers (BBC, 2011). Although the monarchy is often proclaimed to embody Britishness, it does not however go uncriticised, and judged obsolete (Child, 2012). The nations within United Kingdom have their own Saint Days; most famous of which, the Irish and Northern Irish St Patrick’s day, has been celebrated in Ireland for centuries, and increasingly worldwide. Even so, the British can be quite reserved in showing love for their country. Unlike markedly collectivist Finland, United Kingdom is highly globalised and individualistic (Hofstede Insights, 2017), and for this reason it is felt that the show of national pride is rude, or even anti-multicultural (Pilkington, 2008). Thus, the most popular way British express their patriotism is flying one or more of the many flags the country has in national events (e.g. royal weddings or football matches), or at their …show more content…
Whilst many people enjoy homogenisation and the global products accompanying it, others feel like their national heritage is being swallowed. Increasing ‘political correctness’ in institutions and media; the economy allegedly being destroyed by contributions and regulations demanded by the EU; threat of terrorism; and the traditional family values demolished by legalisation of same-sex marriages and adoption; are justifying a surge of support for neo-nationalist figureheads and political parties (Pilkington, 2008). Mead (1934: 6) states, “The stimulus is the occasion for the expression of the impulse.” The nationalist-populist party True Finns’ support has grown from 1% in 1999 to 17.7% in 2017, making it the third most popular party in Finland (Statistics Finland, 2015). Equally, UK Independence Party’s vote share in European elections grew from 7% in 1999 to 27.5% in 2014 (European Parliament, 1999, 2014). Furthermore, Britain’s exit from the EU, not to mention the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, speak of people’s need and strive for national identity. Moreover, police recorded hate crime rates rose by 29% in the United Kingdom between 2016 and 2017 (O’Neill, 2017), and by 34% from 2014 to 2015 in Finland (Police University College, 2017). Amnesty International (2017) notes hate crime reporting spiked following the