The Making of English National Identity

Cambridge Cultural Social Studies

by Krishan Kumar

Drawing on historical, sociological and literary theory, Krishan Kumar examines the rise of English nationalism and issues of race and ethnicity from the Norman Conquest to the present. This study encourages reconsideration of pre-conceptions about nationalism and identity.

Genres: History, British Literature

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[T.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krishan Kumar is a sociologist, yet he does a remarkable job at looking at the historical development of English national identity and English nationalism within the aegis of the British Empire. Several chapters are dedicated to discussing whether or not English national identity first arose under Elizabeth I or earlier, before finally settling on the idea that Englishness only really solidified after the British empire itself began to wane, c. 1900. It's an intriguing thesis, and one that I am glad to go back and reread time and again. Nice stuff.

[seraph]

i survived another college induced disaster.

[Bookshire Cat]

Pages 121-174 read for a class.