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IMPACT
DOES NATIONAL IDENTITY HAV IN THE MODERN WORLD?
Daisy Forster discusses the relationship between British national identity and global in argue it dilutes British culture; Daisy presents an alternative perspective highlighting th world. Gone are the days when every house in Britain boasted a photo of the queen, and neighbourhoods flooded into the streets to celebrate VE day shrouded in red, white and blue. It is easy to long for the ‘good old days’, but it is no secret that nationalism is the catalyst of fascism. Is it possible to celebrate our own national identity whilst also welcoming new cultures? Part of progress is accepting change. Clinging onto the idea of ‘being British’ – which is merely a social construct in itself – is ultimately futile in the modern era. Ironically, the first fish and chip shop was opened in the 1860s by Joseph Malin, an immigrant who based his recipe on traditional Jewish cuisine. Tea, which is now considered the quintessential British drink, was a custom started in China and popularised in Britain by the Portuguese wife of Charles II. The list goes on; so many of the pillars of our cultural identity are adopted as a result of globalisation.
“Our national identity has only been formed through generations of global fluidity; a patchwork of cultures that has created the illusion of the Britain we see today”
Why are we so intent on preserving something that, in effect, doesn’t exist? Condemning immigration on the grounds of preserving national identity is completely paradoxical. On the flip side, many of our own national treasures have blossomed when introduced to the international stage. Cricket, perhaps a declining sport in its home nation, has boomed into a cornerstone of Indian culture, industry and entertainment. In 2015, the IPL contributed $160 million to the Indian GDP and is one of the most watched sports leagues in the world. Just as many of our own customs originated elsewhere, a British invention has ended up defining another culture more than our own. Perhaps learning to share, both our land and our culture, could lead to an even more diverse global identity. In an increasingly globalised world, national identity has diminished in its meaning. As a global culture emerges, the characteristics that once made us British are no longer unique to this small, island nation. However, in the current political climate, this cultural diffusion has caused a national insecurity that has been detrimental to foreign nationals, immigrants and even refugees.
“Today, 13% of the UK population is foreign-born, a proportion higher than ever before” The Guardian reported that “The study, led by the University of Strathclyde, found that 77% of [immigrant] pupils surveyed said they had suffered racism, xenophobia or bullying, though such approaches were often disguised as banter. Of the pupils, 49% said the attacks had become more frequent since the EU referendum in 2016”. It is clear that the Brexit movement, although only tenuously linked to immigration, has seen a rise in nationalism – and subsequent racism – in this country. National pride has turned toxic, a belief that being born in a certain place gives us more rights than those born elsewhere. Palaeontology has long since proved that humans originated and migrated from Africa some 1.9 million years ago. We are all one people, yet barriers created by political borders pit us against each other. National identity is nothing more than a socio-political construct that constantly changes and grows. In reality, we are all one people with little difference to separate us.
