What does it mean to be British? With Gary Younge, Jeremy Deller and Jason Cowley
March 29, 2022
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33:15Now PlayingWhat does it mean to be British? With Gary Younge, Jeremy Deller and Jason Cowley
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as posted by the channelWhat is “Britishness” – and does it still matter? Anoosh Chakelian hosts a panel with Writer and professor Gary Younge, artist Jeremy Deller and the New Statesman's own editor-in-chief Jason Cowley to discuss British identity in the absence of a formal dream or foundation story, the reawakening of English and Scottish nationalism, and whether the very concept of national identity is valuable or meaningful today.
Jeremy Deller is an artist best known for their work exploring ideas around British history, identity, and pop culture. His design for the cover art of the latest issue provided a psychedelic and mesmerising depiction of the United Kingdom, whose vibrant and blurred colours represent a “shifting state of flux” as national identity constantly changes.
Writer and professor Gary Younge joined the panel remotely and brought with him a passion for exploring the subject of national identity, having written five books about British and American culture.
Younge draws a contrast between the US and the UK - “what we lack is a shared collective sense of purpose” – a value, a dream, something to unite under. Adding to this a lack of historical self-reflection, and an unwillingness to talk about empire what is depicted is an image of Britain as a nation that struggles to acknowledge the past and struggles more to look forward.
The final guest on the panel was the New Statesman’s own Editor in Chief Jason Cowley, whose recent book entitled ‘Who Are We Now Stories of Modern England’ poses the question: “who we are today, after Brexit, after the pandemic, as the British state is fragmenting” drawing on the stories and experiences of friends and family to paint a picture of a Britain losing its community and character.
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