1. The End of Britain? Challenges fromDevolution, European Integration, and Multiculturalism.
- Author
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Nam-Kook Kim
- Subjects
- *
EMIGRATION & immigration , *DECENTRALIZATION in government , *MULTICULTURALISM ,BRITISH politics & government - Abstract
The aim of this essay is to examine the future of Britain and Britishness considering simultaneous challenges of immigration, devolution, and further integration into the EU. There are two manners of interpreting the meaning of Britishness. One group emphasizes the formal characteristic of Britishness, which has no substances and is seen as soon disappearing in the face of devolution and European integration. The other perspective stresses the positive contribution of Britain to the development of democracy and expects the nation’s core values to continue after adjusting themselves to various challenges. I explore whether Britishness has been shared or denied and reinforced or weakened among six different groups, namely Welsh and Scottish separatism, English nationalism, Conservative and Labor’s British nationalism, and that of ethnic minorities. I also explore how these groups justify their position on devolution, European integration, and multiculturalism. This essay eventually focuses on New Labor’s rationales to reshape Britain and reinforce Britishness. I analyze New Labor’s project in terms of a multilevel governance entity that has different power of self-government according to regions, and address a possibility of success in terms of a combination of pride and interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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