In Search of the Nature of English Nationalism: From the Empire to the Modern Era

Abstract

This paper attempts to reveal the essence of the complex nature of English nationalism by tracing its transformation from the 18th century to the early 21st century. The reasons for unpopularity of the problem of English national identity in the English historical discourse (such as the absence of serious national upheavals since the birth of modern British statehood and the relative political success, which made the English national introspection superfluous) were discussed. A contradiction between the “horizontal” perception of the English by the peoples of the British Empire and the view held by the citizens of England on their superiority over others was analyzed. The fact of “concealment” of English nationalism in the British identity to pursue the interests of the empire was revealed. To contrast contemporary English nationalism with that of the imperial era, the research by the Centre for English Identity and Politics highlighting the English concern about their own political representation in the United Kingdom after the devolution was cited. It was concluded that the nature of English nationalism has changed from a civil Anglo-British version without an emphasis on English ethnicity during the empire’s existence to a predominantly ethnic one with a focus on English identity with extremely limited opportunities for civil expression in the early 21st century.