Examine the Claim That Britishness Is Defined by Shared Values
Evaluate the claim that British identity is defined by shared values.
“National identities are only one among the many identities that people can hold”, (Clarke, 2009, p.212). How people perceive themselves and are perceived by others as British poses the question as to what Britishness is and who counts as British? To evaluate the role, shared values play in defining the British Identity it is necessary to examine how it is formed through place, culture, ethnicity, diversity and imagined community, without judgements being made as to who should and should not be included.
Individuals if asked to describe themselves will do so in many different ways, but will give reference to family, peer groups, ethnic groups, gender and class, all of which play a part in defining a British Identity. However identity is socially constructed and therefore is flexible adapting to changing circumstances and situations. National identity needs to be redefined over time to make way for a modern diverse society and the political desire to define Britishness as it is today.
To examine a contemporary view of the British identity we need to attempt to define Britishness. The Home office provide information for those wishing to become British citizens, it states that “In the United Kingdom, national identity and citizenship do not always mean the same thing”, (Home Office cited in Clarke, 2009, p.210). It goes on to explain how people from different countries in Great Britain may describe themselves. For instance the Scottish and Welsh will regularly sate their nationality as Scottish and Welsh whilst stating they have British citizenship. In Northern Ireland the identity they choose to describe themselves by, “depends on their political and cultural allegiances”, (Home Office cited in Clarke, 2009, p.210), as they may state they are Irish, British or both. Whereas the English are more likely to state both nationality and citizenship as British. Alternatively Vron Ware sees
“National identities are only one among the many identities that people can hold”, (Clarke, 2009, p.212). How people perceive themselves and are perceived by others as British poses the question as to what Britishness is and who counts as British? To evaluate the role, shared values play in defining the British Identity it is necessary to examine how it is formed through place, culture, ethnicity, diversity and imagined community, without judgements being made as to who should and should not be included.
Individuals if asked to describe themselves will do so in many different ways, but will give reference to family, peer groups, ethnic groups, gender and class, all of which play a part in defining a British Identity. However identity is socially constructed and therefore is flexible adapting to changing circumstances and situations. National identity needs to be redefined over time to make way for a modern diverse society and the political desire to define Britishness as it is today.
To examine a contemporary view of the British identity we need to attempt to define Britishness. The Home office provide information for those wishing to become British citizens, it states that “In the United Kingdom, national identity and citizenship do not always mean the same thing”, (Home Office cited in Clarke, 2009, p.210). It goes on to explain how people from different countries in Great Britain may describe themselves. For instance the Scottish and Welsh will regularly sate their nationality as Scottish and Welsh whilst stating they have British citizenship. In Northern Ireland the identity they choose to describe themselves by, “depends on their political and cultural allegiances”, (Home Office cited in Clarke, 2009, p.210), as they may state they are Irish, British or both. Whereas the English are more likely to state both nationality and citizenship as British. Alternatively Vron Ware sees
Bibliography: Clarke, J. (2009) “Making national identities: Britishness in question” in Bromley, S., Clarke, J., Hinchliffe, S. and Taylor, S. (eds) Exploring Social Lives, Milton Keynes, The Open University.