The Making of English National IdentityCambridge University Press, 2003 M03 13 Why is English national identity so enigmatic and so elusive? Why, unlike the Scots, Welsh, Irish and most of continental Europe, do the English find it so difficult to say who they are? The Making of English National Identity, first published in 2003, is a fascinating exploration of Englishness and what it means to be English. Drawing on historical, sociological and literary theory, Krishan Kumar examines the rise of English nationalism and issues of race and ethnicity from earliest times to the present day. He argues that the long history of the English as an imperial people has, as with other imperial people like the Russians and the Austrians, developed a sense of missionary nationalism which in the interests of unity and empire has necessitated the repression of ordinary expressions of nationalism. Professor Kumar's lively and provocative approach challenges readers to reconsider their pre-conceptions about national identity and who the English really are. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 74
Page
... French, German –is defined by what theyare not– German, French. The 'content' of national identity ismore often than not a counterimage of what is seen asdistinctive inthe culture oftheothernation or nations. This patternis, asLinda ...
... French, German –is defined by what theyare not– German, French. The 'content' of national identity ismore often than not a counterimage of what is seen asdistinctive inthe culture oftheothernation or nations. This patternis, asLinda ...
Page
... French, developed vigorously in the second half of the eighteenth century. Against bothof these Ifollow and extend LindaColley in proposing thatthe really decisive development of thesecenturies – especiallyafterthe union withScotland ...
... French, developed vigorously in the second half of the eighteenth century. Against bothof these Ifollow and extend LindaColley in proposing thatthe really decisive development of thesecenturies – especiallyafterthe union withScotland ...
Page
... French' and 'English' –i.e., the descendantsof the preConquest English – butinpracticethe distinction soonlost its meaning. So 'English' began its imperialistic career from the very beginning; takingin 'Britain' and the 'British Empire ...
... French' and 'English' –i.e., the descendantsof the preConquest English – butinpracticethe distinction soonlost its meaning. So 'English' began its imperialistic career from the very beginning; takingin 'Britain' and the 'British Empire ...
Page
... French are convinced thatitwas their missionto bring reason and civilization tothemodern world, that 'thedestiny of Franceis to be the teacher of mankind'(Dumont 1994b:200;cf.Zeldin 1984: 34–5); while,for Russians, we aretold,'their ...
... French are convinced thatitwas their missionto bring reason and civilization tothemodern world, that 'thedestiny of Franceis to be the teacher of mankind'(Dumont 1994b:200;cf.Zeldin 1984: 34–5); while,for Russians, we aretold,'their ...
Page
... French and Germans. Even more conscious than Meinecke of the dangers of 'bipolar comparisons', he nevertheless shows the extent to which differences ofpolicy and attitude derive from radically different understandings of what ...
... French and Germans. Even more conscious than Meinecke of the dangers of 'bipolar comparisons', he nevertheless shows the extent to which differences ofpolicy and attitude derive from radically different understandings of what ...
Common terms and phrases
andthe AngloNorman AngloSaxon aristocracy asthe atthe Britain British Empire British History British identity British Isles British nation Britons bythe Catholic Celtic character Church Civil claims Colley colonial common Conquest culture eighteenth century England English national identity Englishman ethnic Europe European France French French Revolution fromthe German Gillingham Greenfeld hardback historians idea ideology imperial increasingly inthe Ireland Irish itwas John Kohn Labour language Liah Greenfeld liberal literature London medieval modern monarchy Nairn national consciousness nationalist nationhood nationstate nineteenth century Norman Northern Ireland ofEngland ofEnglish ofthe ofthe English onthe Oxford University Press Parliament patriotism Picts political popular Protestant Protestant Reformation Protestantism R. R. Davies Rees Davies Reformation religion religious Revolution says Scotland Scots Scottish Scottish Enlightenment seealso sense seventeenth century sixteenth sixteenthcentury social society suchas thatthe theBritish theEnglish tobe Tom Nairn tothe tradition Tudor Union United Kingdom Wales wasa wasthe Welsh William withthe