Is the British identity dead?
Faaris Haque medium.com
Identity is an elusive, ever-changing and widely contested concept. Britain’s identity has been especially altered over the last decade, following rapid globalisation, heavy immigration and…
https://miro.medium.com/v2/5d8de952517e8160e40ef9841c781cdc14a5db313057fa3c3de41c6f5b494b19
Medium
Identity is an elusive, ever-changing and widely contested concept. Britain’s identity has been especially altered over the last decade, following rapid globalisation, heavy immigration and technological advancements. While the traditional sense of “being British” was a well-defined concept, this archaic idea rarely applies to the people of Britain anymore. A multitude of influences have shifted the national identity, from stories, population, religions, politics and values.

The most appropriate description of Britain’s modern identity is that it’s a middle ground. This is because Britain is a cultural melting pot, with one of the most diverse populations on Earth. Due to its colonial history, the nation now experiences significant migration from its former colonies, ranging from Bangladesh to Uganda. National identity is therefore heavily contested, as the range of identities (including people’s values, practices, food, sport and loyalties) mean cultural cohesion is difficult to achieve. For example, the UK Confederation of Indian Organisations described their community as “politically British but culturally Indian”. Religion has been changed with the immigration; the strongest example of this is the increased proportion of Muslims, from 5% to 7% within 10 years, compared to a net loss of Christianity.

Though the UK boasts one of the strongest financial capitals in the world, with the world city London, most UK based companies are now foreign owned. Following the global shift, Britain’s major traditional industries of manufacture, textiles and cars have become owned by the likes of India’s Tata Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industries. Foreign direct investment has similarly brought about growing foreign ownership of property, increasing the direct access that other nations have to Britain. These TNCs have caused the UK to move towards technology and finance, a new identity for the UK.

On a more local scale, Britain’s identity has been influenced by a shift in local businesses caused by migrants. Modern culinary staples such as Indian, Mexican and Chinese food have become a major part of the nation’s cuisine in diaspora dominated areas such as Manchester’s Curry Mile, surpassing traditional British foods and changing the preferences of the British people. The contemporary rise of the internet has contributed to a shrinking world, leading to changes in the media that the population consumes. The result of Korean music and American television becoming widespread is an exposure to different cultures which the British people didn’t have before. Compared to the only English media of the 1960’s, people can diversify their interests, meaning there is no single “British identity” anymore.

As the people of Britain have been changed, with new values and businesses, the sense of being British has been severely diluted. The nation’s identity has been influenced by migrants, investment and the internet, and the result is clear. No one knows what it means to be British anymore.

Faaris Haque