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Nationality and Socialisation

A national identity is when people identify themselves with a nation, its customs, traditions and people.

Nationality

Nationality

  • Nationality refers to the rights and responsibilities attached to being a citizen of a nation and is usually attached to place of birth, marriage or socialisation.
  • A national identity is when people identify themselves with a nation, its customs, traditions and people.
Nationality and socialisation

Nationality and socialisation

  • A national identity forms and passes on between generations via agencies of socialisation in a number of ways including:
    • The family.
    • The educational system.
    • The media.
The family

The family

  • The family is where, during socialisation, people learn a common language and norms and values.
The education system

The education system

  • The education system teaches citizenship, language, literature and history, as well as an understanding and respect for national values.
The media

The media

  • The media gives higher priority to national news and lower priority to foreign news, and celebrates national sporting events, rituals and ceremonies, including royal weddings and funerals.

Nationality as a Source of Identity

Nationality as a source of identity is fragmenting and the British national identity is weaker than it once was.

British national culture

British national culture

  • It is becoming increasingly difficult to identify a specific British national culture shared by all citizens, beyond that of:
    • Common language.
    • Holding citizenship.
    • Respecting the country’s laws and institutions.
    • A few national symbols, such as the Queen and the Union flag.
History

History

  • It is increasingly difficult to identify a history that is shared by all Britons.
National identities within the UK

National identities within the UK

  • There is a declining number of people identifying themselves as ‘British,’ and it is becoming more common for people to identify themselves as English, Scottish or Welsh.
  • The growth of national identities within the UK has led to the formation of elected Assemblies for Wales and Northern Ireland.
Jump to other topics
1

Theory & Methods

2

Education with Methods in Context

3

Option 1: Culture & Identity

4

Option 1: Families & Households

5

Option 1: Health

6

Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7

Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8

Option 2: Global Development

9

Option 2: The Media

10

Crime & Deviance

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