Brit-Myth: Who Do the British Think They Are? (Focus on Contemporary Issues

FOCI

by Chris Rojek

The world sees Britain through the antics of Monty Python’s Flying Circus , the stiff-lipped, painfully class-conscious societies depicted in Gosford Park and Remains of the Day , and the scathing diatribes of American Idol ’s Simon Cowell. The images being projected from the island nation of England are so disparate these days that it’s hard to know what to think of the British. Chris Rojek explores this dilemma, looking at the myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes of the British.

 

Drawing upon a wide range of sources in pop culture, politics, art, and history, Rojek examines how Britons are viewed both at home and abroad. From Austin Powers to King Arthur and Albion, and from Big Brother to international opinion polls, Rojek investigates what it means to be British in a globalized, multicultural world. Brit-Myth deftly avoids extreme nationalism or abstract scholarship, offering a new conception of Britishness that transcends race and emphasizes the integral role of individualism and nonconformity in British identity.
Full of thought-provoking insights and engaging anecdotes, Brit-Myth will entertain both Anglophiles and those who want to learn more about the land under the Union Jack.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2008

About the author

Chris Rojek is Professor of Sociology and Culture at Nottingham Trent University, UK.
In 2003 he was awarded the Allen V. Sapora Award for outstanding achievement in the field of Leisure Studies.

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though this was published in 2007, all the references seem to be from the late 90s. Unfortunately, not all the references are still in the public consciousness, so this feels really dated.

[Nigel Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterful, this is my pet subject and I have acres of books on the subject but their is something special about this one
Read and weep and laugh at and with the Brits