Constructing Realities: Identity, Discourse and Englishness

Considering recent developments and ongoing processes such as globalisation, immigration and multiculturalism, this book critically examines contemporary theoretical narratives around English national identity as mediated by place and experience.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2023
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Dominant discursive representations of belonging and place have undergone a significant politicization, driven by narratives of fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. Constructing Realities, taking an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach, critically examines contemporary theoretical narratives surrounding English national identity as mediated by place and experience. By providing clear connections between politically driven portrayals and specific lived experiences, as well as theory and everyday life, Stuart Cartland unpacks contemporary examples of ongoing sociocultural processes. Using the English context as a case study, Cartland argues that discourses around national identity are dominated by a conservative approach characterized by defensive exclusivism and insecurity. Employing discourse analysis to critically investigate the characteristics and constructed nature of ideological articulations of identity within the English social and cultural context, the author aims to empower marginalized experiences such as those of inner-city, working-class, and ethnic minority populations while undermining dominant narratives around Englishness.

Situating the English context within a broader "culture war," chapters identify patterns and processes that apply to numerous other nations in the contemporary era. By considering recent developments and ongoing processes such as globalization, immigration, and multiculturalism, this body of work illuminates the intertwined construction of identity and place.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781837975464