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Contemporary British Culture and Society

Chapter 1 Introduction Autumn Semester, Sept. 2005 Xiao Huiyun

Objectives

In this chapter we will look at

some general features of Britain and set the scene for the more detailed examination of particular aspects of life there which are dealt with in later chapters

Focal Questions

What is the full name of the British state? What countries does it consist of? What is the total population of the United Kingdom? Where do most people live? Do you think that most of the ethnic minorities in Britain have different age structures from that of the white population? Why? What do you think are the most important factors in determining class? How do you understand the status of women in contemporary Britain? What are some of the key changes over the last fifty years in the UK?

Procedures
Presentation by Students Focal
questions 3 & 4 Lectures by the teacher Class discussion Exploitation Activities (p.11) Assignment for the next chapter

A1 Geography
The British Isles is a traditional term
used to identify the group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe consisting of Great Britain, Ireland and the many smaller adjacent islands (over 16). These islands form an archipelago off the west coast of Europe, 315,134 km2 (121,674 square miles). To many Irish people as well as Scottish and Welsh nationalists, the term "British Isles" is unacceptable.

A1

Geography

continued

The term is no longer used in Irish state documents, has

been abandoned from Irish schoolbooks and is being phased out of textbooks. Its usage is also decreasing in official British state documentation, out of sensitivity to the concerns of Irish, Scottish and Welsh people and the evolving new geo-political relationships. Alternatives However the issue of a replacement term remains unsettled as of 2003, though in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process the term "Islands of the North Atlantic" (IONA), a term initially created by former Conservative Party MP Sir John BiggsDavison, has been used as a neutral term to describe these islands .

A1

Geography continued IONA ? The British Isles

A1

Geography

cont. *n.a.

National Flag The United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Chief of the State -- Queen Elizabeth II

ENGLAND
Demographics: Population: 51 Million Language: English People: Anglo-Saxons, Scots, Welsh, Irish,
West Indians, Pakistanis, Indians, Chinese Religion: Church of England, Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh Capital City: London

ENGLAND
Culture:

cont.

They have artistic contributions in theatre , literature, and architecture. Staple food: Fish and Chips, bacon, eggs, sausage, and mash. Its not famous for quality but its a cuisine. There are astonishing regional variations in accents.

St. James Park, London

England
Windsor Castle

cont
Leeds Castle

Fish and Chips

English staple food

WALES
Demographics:
Population: 2.9 Million Capital city: Cardiff People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons Language: Welsh, English Religion: Nonconformist Protestants, Anglicans, Catholics

WALES
Culture:

cont.

One thing that marks Wales out from the rest of the Britain is the survival of Welsh as a living language. Welsh food is not well-known. They eat laverbread (a mixture of seaweed, oatmeal and bacon served on toast), Rarebit (cheese on toast with the added flavor of mustard and beer).

Caerphilly Castle, South Wales

Beaumaris Castle, N. Wales

NORTHERN IRELAND
Demographics:
Population: 1.6 Million Capital city: Belfast People: Irish Language: English, and Irish Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 3.4% Protestant in the Republic; 60% Protestant, 40% Roman Catholic in Northern Ireland

NORTHERN IRELAND
Culture:

cont.

Perform a dance known as the jig which they do to Irish folk music. Very festive people and dance on various occasions. Meals are based around meats like lamb, beef, and pork. Main meal is usually lunch, not dinner.

Irish Townhouse

b&b

Irish Jig

SCOTLAND
Demographics:
Population: 5.1 Million Capital city: Edinburgh People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons Language: English, Gaelic Religion: Presbyterian Church of Scotland, other Presbyterian churches, Anglicans, Catholics

SCOTLAND
Culture:

cont.

Greatest Scottish accomplishments come in the form of science, literature, and philosophy. Bagpipes are very famous in Scotland. Social gathering known as ceilidh were very popular in the traditional culture in which folk stories were told. Today, stories are substituted for drinking and dancing. Scots are known primarily for game dishes like smoked salmon and venison

Scottish Dance

Castles of Scotland

A2

Population 2002 Census

UK 59,289,194 England 51,138,831 Wales 2,903,085 Scotland 5,162,011 Northern Ireland 1,685,267

A2

Population Density

continued
243/km2 376/km2 65/km2 141/km2 122/km2 106/km2 27/km2

UK average England Scotland Wales N. Ireland France US

A2

Population cont. Ageing Population 1981-2021 64 yrs 14%-23%

A3

Ethnic Groups

British society is seen as multicultural but not

Reasons for relatively poor performance of ethnic minority children:

racially tolerant. It is also seen as divided by class and unwelcoming to foreigners

(with the exception of Asian children)

Low IQ e.g. Eysenck has suggested that West

Indian children have a lower IQ than others. The Swann report could find no evidence of this. Material deprivation the majority of ethnic minority groups are working class and their children experience the same material disadvantage of other working class children.

A3

Ethnic Groups

cont.

Hidden curriculum culturally and linguistically

biased against ethnic minority groups. Labelling teachers tend to stereotype ethnic minority students and attach negative labels which become self fulfilling prophecies. Racism racism in wider society diminishes self esteem. The school can be seen as representative of the Dominant culture and is therefore rejected.

A 3 Ethnic Groups

cont.

The Chinese in Britain Estimated number: 250,000 (including Chinese

students and illegal immigrants) Came from Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and mainland China. Now mainly live in big cities like London, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow, etc.

A3

Ethnic Groups

cont.

Jobs: engage in catering & catering-related business.

Compared with other coloured minorities, they suffer less discrimination. Law-abiding, business does not conflict with the local British, seldom ask for financial assistance. Problems among the 2nd-generation Chinese (most of them professionals): They have to struggle for a future. Many cannot find jobs after finishing education in Britain. They face an identity crisis. The Chinese start to participate in political affairs. There are Chinese Councilors in London, Manchester, Liverpool, etc. Some have joined Cons. or Labor Parties.

A 4 Class
The United Kingdom is increasingly described as
a classless society. *Major(1990) *Blair(1999) However many people still believe society is ordered in terms of class and that discrimination occurs between classes. Everything a Briton does and says is influenced by class. Accent*, vocabulary*, job*, hobbies* and types of relationship all fit into the class structure.

A4

Class

cont.

Social Classification for 21st Century 1 A Large employers & higher

managerial occupations 9% 1 B Higher professional occu. 12% 2 Lower professional occu. 17% 3 Intermediate occupations 14% 4 Small employers & own account workers 9%

A4
5

Class

cont.

Lower supervisors & craft & related occupations 10% 6 Semi-routine occu. 21% 7 Routine occu 8% Only 25% of Britons now consider themselves working class compared with 51% in 1955 (1CM/Guardian), while 35% see themselves as middle class, up from 28% in 1986 (Mail on Sunday). But 85% still think Britain is a class-based society, with 69% believing that top jobs are only available to the privileged few (NOP/Sunday Express). And many of them don't even think of themselves as British.

A5

50 Years of Change

The 1950s a time of great changes in

fields of economy, culture, politics. The 1960s a decade of young rebellious young generation The 1970s a decade of strikes and recession The 1980s a decade of Thatcherism The 1990s a decade of great expectation

A 5.

The Devolution

A5

Devolution

cont.

Britishness ? 17% of English people say they owe

allegiance to England, not Britain (British Social Attitudes/Guardian); 66% of teenagers in England regard themselves as English not British. In Wales, 79% see themselves as Welsh, and in Scotland, 82% as Scottish (Sunday Times).

References
British Studies Web Pages Dalton, A. Apparent Paradoxes in British

Culture & its Literature http//www. Woodlands-junior. Kent. Sch/uk. html http//huaren.org/diaspora/europe/britain/ doc/0395-01.html