Britishness, And Otherness: An Argument Analysis

There is an old saying about the British Empire. “The sun never sets on the British Empire”. A phrase originally meant for all the expansive European Empires, quickly became sinuous with only the British Empire. The British Empire has existed for centuries, spanning most of the continents around the globe. Hence the phrase since the British colonies were operational at all hours of the due to their varying locations around the world. With a sprawling empire comes a sprawling history to remember as well. Historians across time all focus on some specific snapshots of the vast empire. The terms metropolis and periphery came into being to describe the relationship between the United Kingdom (Metropolis) and the periphery (colonies). The British

Her article, Britishness, and Otherness: An Argument, uses ethnohistory, nationalism and cultural methodologies to express how those in the British Empire rattle and are protective of their identity. In her article, she discusses how British identity waves since identity exists in a ven diagram and not in the black and white roles of the past. Religion, gender, race, ethnicity and many other identities exist in various combination depending on the individual. She asks why little attention has been focused on how or why the British population defines themselves against both real and imaginary enemies. That identity seems most important when being threatened. Realizing that identity only began to be studied only after peace and stability in World War II, when the Empire isolates themselves to focus on their own ventures. British history is one of pulse and vibrancy as many peoples and cultures are interacting through imperialism and trade. Her article represents a shift in historiography. Views on culture were now more important than the economic view of the past. This article also recognized that British identity existed in multiple facets overlapping in ways that were sometimes conflicting. Religion was one that often was conflicting as it polarized most of its population against itself. Her article also highlighted how complex identity was especially once it was against other identities outside the British Empire. Colley writes as a Cultural turn exists in historiography. Very different view from an economic historiography of Cain and