British TV Shows That Were Cancelled Before Their Time
We all love sitting down to watch a good bit of television but Leo thinks these shows left our screens...
On Jo Cox, The EU Referendum And British Identity
Source: Evening Standard
Nat Jester picks through the mess that is the news and tries to understand the climate that resulted in the assassination of MP Jo Cox.
Britain has become an angry mess…
Yesterday, Jo Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen was murdered. She was shot and stabbed after holding an advice surgery, where MPs meet and help their constituents. She was a known advocate for refugees, chair of Labour Women’s Network, a former head of policy for Oxfam, and campaigner for Remain in the EU referendum. There are reports (though disputed) that Jo’s killer shouted ‘Britain First’ before shooting her.
I’m trying to be measured about this, but the truth is that I have spent part of this morning in tears. Britain has become an angry mess, with the hatred long felt by ethnic minorities, refugees and anyone that ‘looks’ Muslim, bubbling over into the public arena to an extent that no one can now ignore it. Understandably many people are asking: how has this happened? Unfortunately, I have a pretty good idea.
Britain seemed high on this feeling of togetherness.
I am a PhD researcher at the University of Bristol, examining representations of British state identity in the media. Whilst I examine the state (the administrative unit) in my work, I have always been fascinated by nations (a feeling, an ‘imagined community’ – Benedict Anderson’s wonderful book of the same name is well worth a read).
We have our own imagined community: Britain. We feel connected, through this Britishness, to other people we will never meet. In 2012 we had the London Olympics where Mo Farah was cemented as a British national treasure, and we cheered Jessica Ennis-Hill until we were hoarse. Britain seemed high on this feeling of togetherness.
What has become increasingly clear over the course of the EU referendum is that an alternative community has long been imagined by a sizeable number of people. It is a Britishness that is inward looking. It struggles to see black and minority ethnic people as British to the extent that they do not want to help refugees and, instead of seeing it as British to play a role in the largest trading bloc in the world, views the EU as a threat to identity.
It is a Britishness that is inward looking.
This idea was not created in a day, or even during this referendum campaign, but has been drip-fed over a very long period of time. Prof. Jutta Weldes’ concepts of articulation and interpellation are useful here. Articulation is the process by which ideas are linked together. When you think of ‘British’ what comes to mind? Probably tea-loving, polite people. When ideas such as ‘British’ are formed people are called to identify with them (a process called interpellation). If ‘British’ is being articulated as white and isolationist then people will be called to accept this identity, and some people have clearly done so.
Newspapers like the Daily Mail publish masses of anti-refugee, anti-European Union stories every day, even when there isn’t an election or referendum. When a group of people with a public platform and easy access to the nation’s living rooms says that ‘we’ are overrun, that ‘our’ country is full, that will shape people’s imagined community, and will have real-world effects. We should stop pretending otherwise.
It isn’t all doom and gloom, though. For better or worse, discourse is constantly changing. In the words of Brendan Cox, we must ‘unite to fight against the hatred that killed [Jo].’ If like me you’re despairing about the world, take Ailsa’s advice and practice some self-care and, as much as possible we must work to turn this discourse around. I want to be part of the imagined community that celebrates the fact that the mayor of London can be Muslim, that celebrates the massive contribution EU migrants make to our country, and that opens its heart to people who need help.
If you want to be part of that community, too, then say so. Tell your Facebook friends, tell your grumpy uncle, shout it from the rooftops. Together we can speak with one voice, change the discourse, and reclaim our country.
RIP Jo Cox.
Are you voting on the 23rd? How’re you feeling about the referendum? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.
Want to get more involved in local politics as a young person? Check out Bristol City Youth Council
You may also be interested in
define: Britishness
What is ‘Britishness’ and would you be able to define it?
The 'Plight' Of The Straight White Male
Jack wants straight white men to stop whining about oppression.
About the author
Nat Jester
Natalie Jester is a PhD researcher at the University of Bristol. A life-long Bristolian, she mostly spends her time obsessing about gender issues and watching videos of cats.
More from this author
We Need To Talk About Men
Nat Jester dissects masculinity and tries to get us talking about the problems men face today.
Not Just For Criminals: Why We Need A Human Rights Act
Nat Jester finds herself defending something she didn't think needed defending...
Terrorism, Security And British State Identity: Why Words Matter
Nat discusses how the stereotype of the Muslim terrorist is fuelling animosity towards Islam and where it's come from.
