The Construction of British National Identity among British South Asians

Date
2012
Authors
Jaspal, Rusi
Cinnirella, Marco
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
1460-8944
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Peer reviewed
Yes
Abstract
This paper explores the social psychological aspects of British national identifica- tion among British South Asians, which constitutes the largest ethnic minority group in Britain. Identity process theory can elucidate the social and psycholo- gical ‘functions’ of Britishness for social actors, offering a holistic account of national identification within this population. The paper provides a discussion of nationhood and the construction of national identity, temporal factors in national identification, its cognitive and affective aspects, the psychological ‘functionality’ of Britishness, and its social representations. It is argued that a civic, instrumental conception of Britishness might facilitate access to this identity among British South Asians.
Description
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.
Keywords
national identity, nation, identity process theory, social representations, South Asians, social psychology, sociology
Citation
Jaspal, R. and Cinnirella, M. (2012) The Construction of British National Identity among British South Asians. National Identities. 15 (2), pp. 157-175
Research Institute
Media Discourse Centre (MDC)
Mary Seacole Research Centre