Britishness: towards a progressive citizenship / Smith Institute, March 2007
PDF - http://www.smith-institute.org.uk/pdfs/britishness.pdf
Nick Johnson
"The essays in this collection offer stimulating and thought-provoking accounts of what a progressive national feeling might encompass, and how it might be encouraged and shaped in the coming years. Over the course of their contributions, the authors address a wide range of questions germane to this debate: Is it possible to develop a statement of Britishness that transcends the wide range of beliefs and values that exist within the population? Can public institutions really claim to be difference-blind, or is it a matter of supporting and bolstering the public validity of group identities? How can the internally fluid and contested nature of “group identity” be recognised and taken into account when developing policies and shaping the requirements of British citizenship? What are the best ways to understand and respond progressively to the patterns of mass migration and the appearance of new cultures and communities within the British population? Can “Britishness” be understood in terms of the way we approach issues of difference within our borders?"