Clive McGoun

Branding BritainBranding Britain

Clive McGoun

What is Britain?What is Britain?

Five pillars on which British national Five pillars on which British national identity was invented.identity was invented.

GeographyGeography ReligionReligion WarWar Empire, land and commerceEmpire, land and commerce MonarchyMonarchy

Clive McGoun

SummarySummary The British nation-state created by the 1707 The British nation-state created by the 1707

Act of Union, preceded the creation of the a Act of Union, preceded the creation of the a British nation.British nation.

Prior to the 19Prior to the 19thth century, Britishness was century, Britishness was constructed around the pillars of geography, constructed around the pillars of geography, Protestantism, war, Empire, and monarchyProtestantism, war, Empire, and monarchy

Britishness was initially an elite identity, Britishness was initially an elite identity, dominated by Englishnessdominated by Englishness

Britishness became a more secure national Britishness became a more secure national identity with the advent of industrialisation identity with the advent of industrialisation and mass literacyand mass literacy

Pre-existing ethnic allegiances never Pre-existing ethnic allegiances never completely disappeared.completely disappeared.

Clive McGoun

Branding BritainBranding Britain

Summer 2001 the cities of Oldham, Bradford Summer 2001 the cities of Oldham, Bradford and Burnley experienced Britain’s worst and Burnley experienced Britain’s worst racially charged uprisings in the past 20 racially charged uprisings in the past 20 yearsyears

Commentary trying to understand the Commentary trying to understand the changing nature of Britain concentrated on:changing nature of Britain concentrated on: Social binaries – Asian/White: Muslim/Hindu: Social binaries – Asian/White: Muslim/Hindu:

Upper-Class/Working-ClassUpper-Class/Working-Class Self-segregating minority communitiesSelf-segregating minority communities Britain’s openness/tolerance is a potential for Britain’s openness/tolerance is a potential for

violenceviolence

Clive McGoun

The Parekh ReportThe Parekh Report Runnymede Trust’s Commission on the Runnymede Trust’s Commission on the

future of multiethnic Britain resulted in the future of multiethnic Britain resulted in the Parekh report published in October 2003Parekh report published in October 2003

Identified factors which have changed the Identified factors which have changed the face of Britain over the last 30 years:face of Britain over the last 30 years: MigrationMigration DevolutionDevolution GlobalisationGlobalisation The end of EmpireThe end of Empire Britain’s decline as a world powerBritain’s decline as a world power Development of cultural plurismDevelopment of cultural plurism Integration with EuropeIntegration with Europe

Clive McGoun

The Parekh ReportThe Parekh Report

Full acceptance is a deeper notion than Full acceptance is a deeper notion than inclusion. Since inclusion is offered on terms inclusion. Since inclusion is offered on terms already set by the wider society, it involves already set by the wider society, it involves assimilation, sharing current notions of what it assimilation, sharing current notions of what it means to be a British or a good citizen, and means to be a British or a good citizen, and demands a very heavy cultural entrance fee. demands a very heavy cultural entrance fee. Full acceptance, however, involves Full acceptance, however, involves renegotiating the terms and redefining the renegotiating the terms and redefining the current forms of Britishness so as to create current forms of Britishness so as to create secure spaces within them for each person’s secure spaces within them for each person’s individual qualitities.individual qualitities.

(Parekh 2003: 55)(Parekh 2003: 55)

Clive McGoun

Branding BritishBranding British Beyond the uprisings and the Parekh report there have Beyond the uprisings and the Parekh report there have

been many discussions of racial, ethnic, and class-been many discussions of racial, ethnic, and class-based divisions within a larger global frame of based divisions within a larger global frame of referencereference

A ‘hybridised population’A ‘hybridised population’ Asian radioAsian radio (2005) (2005) Blear and radio 4Blear and radio 4 (2005) (2005)

The marketisation of hyphenisation – hybridity is ‘cool’The marketisation of hyphenisation – hybridity is ‘cool’ In popular culture we increasingly have the notion of In popular culture we increasingly have the notion of

the ‘global popular’ where the intersecting vectors of the ‘global popular’ where the intersecting vectors of race, national identity, and cultural signification come race, national identity, and cultural signification come together to reveal the tensions in ‘border crossing’together to reveal the tensions in ‘border crossing’

And we have had it well before these discussions beganAnd we have had it well before these discussions began

Clive McGoun

Bhaji on the BeachBhaji on the Beach Written in 1993 by Meera Syal from a story Ms. Written in 1993 by Meera Syal from a story Ms.

Chadha conceived with Ms. Syal, "Bhaji on the Beach" Chadha conceived with Ms. Syal, "Bhaji on the Beach" explores the discoveries that nine Asian women, explores the discoveries that nine Asian women, spanning three generations, experience during one spanning three generations, experience during one day. The film traces the stories of Ginder, who has day. The film traces the stories of Ginder, who has taken refuge from her abusive husband at a women's taken refuge from her abusive husband at a women's hostel, and Hashida, who finds she is pregnant by her hostel, and Hashida, who finds she is pregnant by her black boyfriend. At the beach, the women learn one black boyfriend. At the beach, the women learn one another's secrets, are insulted at a restaurant and, in another's secrets, are insulted at a restaurant and, in one case, are taken shopping by a dapper one case, are taken shopping by a dapper Englishman. Englishman.

"Exploding myths is what Gurinder gets a kick out of "Exploding myths is what Gurinder gets a kick out of -- putting people in contexts where they're not usually -- putting people in contexts where they're not usually seen, like in 'Bhaji' where she puts Asian women in a seen, like in 'Bhaji' where she puts Asian women in a seaside holiday at Blackpool, which is almost a British seaside holiday at Blackpool, which is almost a British institution”. (June Givanni, head of the African-institution”. (June Givanni, head of the African-Caribbean unit of the British Film Institute)Caribbean unit of the British Film Institute)

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bhaji on the Beach (1993)Bhaji on the Beach (1993) Indian mythic fantasy, British naturalism, Carry Indian mythic fantasy, British naturalism, Carry

On farce – cultural mixing and fusion are On farce – cultural mixing and fusion are exploredexplored

Relationships in transitionRelationships in transition Rangit – divorce is not an optionRangit – divorce is not an option Ginder – on a journey into modernity outside of traditionGinder – on a journey into modernity outside of tradition Hashida – relationship with Oliver who is blackHashida – relationship with Oliver who is black The ‘Aunties’ – remembering the pastThe ‘Aunties’ – remembering the past

Transformations through a journey from home. Transformations through a journey from home. Living ‘on’ the hyphen where the hyphen = Living ‘on’ the hyphen where the hyphen = movementmovement

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bhaji on the BeachBhaji on the Beach Desire – the film begins a process of deconstructing Desire – the film begins a process of deconstructing

the self and Other, the familiar and foreignthe self and Other, the familiar and foreign It does so through:It does so through:

Exploring the difference in the relationships that the Exploring the difference in the relationships that the younger and older members of the group forge. The key is younger and older members of the group forge. The key is contingency in a world constantly on the move [The contingency in a world constantly on the move [The nostalgia of Asha in her meeting with the quintessential nostalgia of Asha in her meeting with the quintessential English gentleman, Ambrose Waddington Waddington’s English gentleman, Ambrose Waddington Waddington’s nostalgic gaze in the theatre parallels Asha’s: his for lost nostalgic gaze in the theatre parallels Asha’s: his for lost English cultural traditions in the wake of modernity; hers for English cultural traditions in the wake of modernity; hers for a lost sense of Asianness in the wake of diasporaa lost sense of Asianness in the wake of diaspora

Chadha is pointing to new ways of visioning Chadha is pointing to new ways of visioning Britishness.Britishness.

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bhaji on the BeachBhaji on the Beach Two positions are evident in the filmTwo positions are evident in the film

The orientation towards ‘home’ which The orientation towards ‘home’ which temporarily freezes time and which projects temporarily freezes time and which projects back into the pastback into the past

The orientation towards onward movement The orientation towards onward movement a continuing dispersion and relocation in a continuing dispersion and relocation in which identity is always already plural, which identity is always already plural, shifting and involved in cultural shifting and involved in cultural border/boundary crossingsborder/boundary crossings

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bend it like Beckham (2002)Bend it like Beckham (2002) Chadha enters the mainstreamChadha enters the mainstream £14m at the box office in the first 12 weeks£14m at the box office in the first 12 weeks Released a few weeks before the 2002 Released a few weeks before the 2002

world cupworld cup Bending the ball like Beckham/bending the Bending the ball like Beckham/bending the

rules like Beckham/bending the traditions rules like Beckham/bending the traditions of an Punjabi ‘home’of an Punjabi ‘home’

Narratives of race, ethnicity, class, gender Narratives of race, ethnicity, class, gender and sexualityand sexuality

Jess & JulesJess & Jules [view – 5.00][view – 5.00]

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bend it like Beckham (2002)Bend it like Beckham (2002) The sporting commentators articulate Jess’s future as ‘playing The sporting commentators articulate Jess’s future as ‘playing

for England – Jess as footballer is ‘English’, Jess as daughter, for England – Jess as footballer is ‘English’, Jess as daughter, sister, niece is Punjabisister, niece is Punjabi

The team coach mediates the hybridity – pushing the hyphen The team coach mediates the hybridity – pushing the hyphen towards Englishness whilst her family pull towards the Punjabtowards Englishness whilst her family pull towards the Punjab

Jules is the strong, empowered athlete with supermodel good Jules is the strong, empowered athlete with supermodel good looks – a mainstream model of talent and drive. Yet she is looks – a mainstream model of talent and drive. Yet she is represented in opposition to heteronormative constructions of represented in opposition to heteronormative constructions of femininity - both a tom-boy and girly-girl who resists femininity - both a tom-boy and girly-girl who resists positioning herselfpositioning herself

See the developing narratives – ‘No time for games’ [40.17 – See the developing narratives – ‘No time for games’ [40.17 – 43.30]43.30]

See the developing narratives – Jumping to wrong conclusions See the developing narratives – Jumping to wrong conclusions [54.58-58.20][54.58-58.20]

Clive McGoun

Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha

Bend it like Beckham (2002)Bend it like Beckham (2002) ‘‘Cool Britannia’Cool Britannia’ The aesthetic of multiculturalism – but very much a The aesthetic of multiculturalism – but very much a

feel-good multiculturalismfeel-good multiculturalism Sanitised multiculturalism devoid of the poverty, Sanitised multiculturalism devoid of the poverty,

racism, and struggles of difference but fully acceptedracism, and struggles of difference but fully accepted [view 131.00 - ][view 131.00 - ] British-Asiannes seen as a solution, another subjugation British-Asiannes seen as a solution, another subjugation

by the mainstream popular political and cultural by the mainstream popular political and cultural ‘aesthetic’. The Other is happy … we are happy.‘aesthetic’. The Other is happy … we are happy.

And interestingly, Jess and Jules leave England in And interestingly, Jess and Jules leave England in pursuit of their dreams …pursuit of their dreams …