BRITISH IDENTITY

British Identity

British Identity

British identity is state or quality of being British or British incorporate features, and is used to refer to what unites and distinguishes British and is basis of its unity and identity, or to explain terms of British culture, such as habits, behaviors or symbols that have the common quality, family or easily identifiable icon with United Kingdom. Dialogue on legitimacy and authenticity of British identity is intrinsically linked with power relations and politics, in terms of nationality and belonging, express or acknowledge British identity causes range of responses and attitudes, such as promotion, indifference or rejection.

British identity "that emerged on political and academic prominence" of late 20, but its origins lie with formation of Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Although British identity is used to refer to collectively as British in 1682, historian Linda Colley argues that it was after Acts of Union 1707 citizens of Great Britain began to assume the "layer" of identity, to think of themselves as British, but at same time also Scottish, English and / or Welsh. In this formative period, British identity "closely tied to Protestantism." Online Oxford English Dictionary dates first known use of Britishness to describe state of being British in June 1857 issue of Putnam's Monthly Magazine.

Since late 20th century, exploration and proliferation of British identity was directly related to desire to define, maintain or restore the homogenous British identity and loyalty to Britain, prompting debate. For example, life in UK test in report as proof of their British identity has been described as controversial. UK Independence Party have argued that British identity is linked to inclusive civic nationalism, while Commission for Racial Equality reported that Muslims, Scottish and Welsh feel quite separate from British identity because of White, mastery of English, Gwynfor Evans, Welsh nationalist politician, said: " British identity is synonymous with political Englishness which extends English culture over Scots, Welsh and Irish." With respect to the proposed Oath of Allegiance dropout, historian David Starkey, argued that it is impossible to teach Britishness because "the British nation does not exist.

Critics have argued that Gordon Brown's sudden interest in issue is more to do with fight against English opposition to the Scottish MP becoming Prime Minister. In November 2007 Times Comment Central asked readers to define Britishness in five little words. winning proposal was "No please motto, which is British."

British came to be "superimposed on much older identities, and English, Scotland and Wales" are still in many different peoples in cultural terms, giving rise to resistance to British identity. Due to large ethnic-sectarian divisions, British identity in Northern Ireland is controversial, but remains strong conviction for union.

Contemporary British descended primarily from various ethnic populations that settled in Britain before 11th century. Prehistory influences, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Norse were mixed in Britain under Normans, Scandinavian Vikings in northern France. Conquest and union facilitated migration, language and cultural exchange, and intermarriage among people of Britain, Scotland and Wales in medieval and early modern period ...