Celebrating British multiculturalism, lamenting England/Britain’s past

BLACK, Jack (2016). Celebrating British multiculturalism, lamenting England/Britain’s past. Nations and Nationalism, 22 (4), 786-802.

[img]
Preview
PDF
Black (2016c) SHURA.pdf - Accepted Version
All rights reserved.

Download (149kB) | Preview
Official URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nana.12...
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.12164

Abstract

Drawing upon Littler and Naidoo’s ‘white past, multicultural present’ alignment, this article examines English newspaper coverage of two ‘British’ events held in 2012 (the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic Games). In light of recent work on English nationalism, national identity and multiculturalism, this article argues that representations of Britain oscillated between lamentations for an English/British past – marred by decline – and a present that, while being portrayed as both confident and progressive, was beset by latent anxieties. In doing so, ‘past’ reflections of England/Britain were presented as a ‘safe’ and legitimate source of belonging that had subsequently been lost and undermined amidst the diversity of the ‘present’. As a result, feelings of discontent, anxiety and nostalgia were dialectically constructed along- side ‘traditional’ understandings of England/Britain. Indeed, this draws attention to the ways in which particular ‘versions’ of the past are engaged with and the impact that this can have on discussions related to multiculturalism and the multiethnic history of England/Britain.

Item Type: Article
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018: Cultural Communication and Computing Research Institute > Communication and Computing Research Centre
Sport Industry Research Centre
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.12164
Page Range: 786-802
Depositing User: Jack Black
Date Deposited: 25 Apr 2016 15:13
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2021 00:40
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12083

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics