HIST 417 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Brexit, Welsh Guards, Jet Set
Document Summary
Princess diana"s death in some ways symbolic of british national disunity. Diana in some ways an english rose though more at home amongst international jet-set. Father"s boyfriend is muslim head of harrods store. Brother a wealthy earl living in south africa. Royal family hiding out in balmoral in scotland. Historians of britain/england did not address national question until recently. Had not faced external threat for some time. Economic divisions seemed to be more prominent. Nationalism seemed much more tame, especially compared to situation on the continent. Recently, study of british identity has boomed. Scottish/welsh national movements raising questions about true degree of integration. Undermining of authority/autonomy of british governments due to declining econ influence, rise of eu, etc. Squandering of at least some of the public"s respect for venerated institutions of the state. Historians on the right began to extol englishness, claimed britishness was merely a temporary creation. British nation is a union state, not a unitary state.
