British Politics Research Articles

Bridging The Gap: Tackling Students Challenges in Applying Politeness Strategy in English Daily Conversation

The study examines the difficulties BBC Tlogosari English Course students face when using politeness strategies in daily conversation. Communication is crucial in today's interconnected world, especially for EFL students. The qualitative research study used document analysis and questionnaires to gather information and questions from other students to analyze their experiences. According to the data, students have many challenges that make it hard for them to be polite. Language barriers, especially English, and emotional and cultural issues are among these challenges. The study showed that students used negative politeness strategies to avoid overgeneralization and cultural misunderstandings. These studies emphasize the need for differentiated instructional approaches that address these concerns, adding to current knowledge. This study shows that English politeness education can improve esteem escalation communication and culture. In the long term, this will improve student communication and cultural awareness. This research emphasizes the importance of politeness strategies and EFL contexts and representatives for more research into effective teaching practices that can improve learners. Communicating in English. Thus, by addressing these issues, teachers improve communication skills to the extent that they have cultural competence.

The Co‐op's Golden Opportunity? Exploring the Prospects of Labour's Sister Party under Keir Starmer's Labour Government

AbstractThe Co‐operative Party is back in power. Forty‐three of its members of Parliament sit on the government benches in the House of Commons, of which four sit in the Cabinet, including the business and trade secretary. Six ‘metro mayors’ also wear the co‐operative badge, along with over 1,600 local councillors and representatives in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd. With Labour back in government, this under‐explored party may be on the cusp of its peak relevance in British politics. In partnership with Labour since 1927, it pursues a co‐operative agenda in politics and policy making. This article explores the role it may play in a Keir Starmer‐led Labour majority government. It places these observations in the context of Labour and the Co‐operative Party's previous period in power between 1997–2010, considering some opportunities and potential barriers to the party's ability to influence government policy in the UK's post‐Brexit, multilevel polity.

‘Inevitably the package will be dismissed […] as inadequate and grudging’: regionalism, ambivalence and the road to the North East of England referendum defeat in 2004

ABSTRACT The New Labour Government of 1997 to 2010 oversaw considerable constitutional reforms, particularly in relation to the United Kingdom’s territorial constitution. While devolution to Scotland and Wales, and the peace process that saw the re-establishment of devolved institutions to Northern Ireland (notwithstanding their subsequent instability), will be familiar to any student of British politics since 1997, there was also an English dimension to this reform agenda. Labour’s 1997 election manifesto included a commitment to, at an appropriate time and in areas where there was sufficient demand, legislate for referendums for regional government. This commitment would play out in the 2004 referendum held in the North East of England when an overwhelming majority of those voting rejected the proposed local assembly. This article looks at the years leading up to that referendum, drawing on the latest government papers from that period which have been released, as well as contemporaneous analyses. While the ambivalence felt by many within the UK Government towards regional devolution has been discussed before, this article sheds new light on the extent, and scale, of those sentiments, as well as on the wariness and scepticism felt by those at the very heart of Downing Street regarding the Governments devolution agenda.

Values in the Valence Election: Fragmentation and the 2024 General Election

AbstractThe 2024 general election delivered a verdict on an unpopular Conservative government, a valence election where the key motivation was to remove a government seen as failing. But this is not a full account of the voting choices of the British public. The rise of ‘second dimension’ politics and the associated value positions within the public have driven a fragmentation of the electorate. This, combined with multiparty competition, leads to complex patterns of party support across the electorate. This fragmentation explains the volatility in recent elections and the relative success of ‘third’ parties and independent candidates. It explains why, in a valence election, there was not a simple transfer of votes between alternative governing parties. This fragmentation poses electoral and policy challenges for all political parties and will have important implications for British politics over the next parliamentary cycle and beyond.

From Old Labour to the Third Way: The UK Labour Party’s Social and Welfare Policy Evolution between 1975 and 1997

In parallel to the emergence and subsequent dominance of Thatcherite ideology across the realm of British politics from the mid-1970s, the UK Labour Party’s social and welfare policy agenda reacted and evolved for over two decades, a simultaneous and often futile process that occurred largely during a sustained and frustrating spell in political opposition. This convoluted policy journey therefore correlated with the party’s struggling electoral fortunes in the context of four successive general election defeats, before eventual convincing victory in 1997. This article seeks to illustrate that even before losing office in 1979, the Labour Party struggled to adapt to the advent of the New Right, facing hard structural policy-making constraints, with subsequent electoral defeats occurring amidst a more volatile public mood, changing demographics and social values, and a shifting social and economic model. In explaining how and why this happened, the article suggests that this was a critical evolutionary process for Labour, with flexible pragmatism and political necessity often eclipsing fading ideological imperatives, as the party sought electoral credibility and a route back to government. Consequently, by 1997, due to various factors, Labour’s social and welfare policies had been transformed beyond all previous recognition.

Prinsip Kesantunan Berbahasa Dosen dan Mahasiswa di Kelas Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris sebagai Bahasa Asing (EFL)

This investigation examines the implementation of linguistic politeness in English as Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Karawang, with particular emphasis on faculty-student interactions. Utilizing an ethnographic qualitative methodology, the research encompasses one faculty member and thirty-five, first-semester students. Data acquisition was conducted through non-participant classroom observations and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The findings demonstrate that the faculty member systematically implemented politeness strategies through indirect communication and face-threatening acts management. The incorporation of Sundanese cultural values in instruction was manifested in the utilization of address systems and modifications in communication approaches. The implementation of politeness significantly contributed to the enhancement of students' communicative competence and the establishment of a conducive learning environment. This research underscores the significance of integrating linguistic politeness and indigenous cultural values in EFL instruction to facilitate pedagogical effectiveness.

Change and Continuity in British Politics: Can the Starmer Government's Approach to Governance Resolve the Crisis in the British State without Radical Reform?

Change and Continuity in British Politics: Can the Starmer Government's Approach to Governance Resolve the Crisis in the British State without Radical Reform?

Defects of English Rules of Contractual Interpretation and Their Challenges for African Businesses

Abstract The Law Society of England and Wales, as well as English politicians and judges, claim that English (contract) law is admirable, settled and predictable, and non-English legal systems are “laxer systems” whose judges are not as exceptionally knowledgeable as English judges. These claims of legal superiority attract foreign litigants such as African businesspeople to use English laws and forums to resolve their contractual disputes. This article aims to disprove these claims by rigorously assessing them from an Afrocentric lens, as well as from the prediction theory of law, English case law, and rules of contractual interpretation. It finds that English contract law and dispute resolution mechanisms are far from predictable and settled. Also, there is a staggering level of disagreement among English judges regarding their interpretation of commercial contracts. The article exposes the defects of English contract laws to enable foreign businesses to make informed decisions about their choice of laws and forums to resolve their contractual disputes.

The ethics of speechwriting in the contemporary practice of the profession

The present paper challenges the criticism found in literature on speechwriting that “deception is inherent in the practice of ghostwriting” and therefore, writing speeches for other people is “unethical” by juxtaposing it with findings from the author's research on Speechwriting in British and American Politics and Business: A Study of the Practice, Profession, and Speechwriting Ethics, funded by the National Science Center. For the purpose of this paper, I use the terms speechwriting and ghostwriting interchangeably. Specifically, I discuss two ethical aspects involved in speechwriting: audience deception and writing against a speechwriter’s conviction. Critics have also argued that ghostwritten speeches fail to genuinely reflect the speaker's “honest, independent ability and achievement.” My research indicates, however, that although deception is always a possibility in communication, speechwriters are dedicated to ensuring the speaker’s authenticity, and the concept of ethopoeia is pivotal to comprehending the role of a speechwriter.

THE CONCEPT OF SPLENDID ISOLATION: A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH

The article deals with the concept of «splendid isolation», traditionally associated with British foreign policy in the late 19th century, refers to the period when Britain distanced itself from European alliances. This article examines the rationale and consequences of this policy through a contemporary lens, drawing on contemporary scholarship to reassess the motivations and outcomes of Britain's diplomatic posture in that era. Analyzing the concept of «splendid isolation», the study focuses on the political, economic and military factors that determined British strategy. The focus of the study is also the analysis of criticism of this strategy and its consequences for Great Britain in the context of changes in the international balance of power at the beginning of the 20th century. The question arises as to whether «splendid isolation» was really an effective strategy for protecting national interests and maintaining the status of a world power. The traditional view of British foreign policy in the late Victorian era emphasizes independence and avoidance of binding alliances. The article examines the changes in the international environment, especially the growing competition from France, Russia, Germany and the United States, and how they influenced the decisions of British politicians. The article also examines the transition from isolationist policies to strategic alliances at the beginning of the 20th century.

How attitudes towards independence reshaped Scottish elections: A longitudinal analysis (1999–2021)

AbstractBritish and Scottish politics are undergoing a period of tumultuous change, leading to what some scholars have labelled ‘electoral shocks’, which have altered the relative importance of the main issues explaining citizens' political behaviour. The conventional wisdom now posits that attitudes towards Scottish independence play an increasing role in structuring citizens' vote choice in Scotland. However, a longitudinal assessment of this claim is lacking. In this research, we seek to fill this gap by making use of data from 1999 to 2021, which covers every Scottish election since devolution, and providing the first‐ever systematic assessment of the strength of attitudes towards Scottish independence in explaining electoral behaviour over time. Our findings reveal a substantial increase in the importance of attitudes towards independence, which we can quantify throughout the 1999–2021 period. We conclude by discussing the implications of this for British and Scottish politics.

British-Armenian Military Relations in Transcaucasia During the Early Stages of the Russian Civil War (1917–1918): A Critical Analysis

This article offers a critical examination of the British-Armenian military relations in Transcaucasia during the early stages of the Russian Civil War (1917-1918), highlighting the complex interplay between British foreign policy, imperial ambitions, and local nationalisms.The plight of the Armenians resonated deeply with the British public and politicians during the First World War. A crucial moment came when the Russian monarchy fell, triggering a complex scenario in Transcaucasia and necessitating a thorough reshuffle of Britain’s foreign and military strategies in the region. In this context, the present study analyses Britain’s political maneuvers and dealings with Armenians in response to the evolving situation in Transcaucasia after the February Revolution. This article shows that notwithstanding the humanitarian ethos that was prevalent in British political rhetoric after the February Revolution in Russia, the strategic undertakings of Britain on the Caucasus front were heavily influenced by its imperial politics and determination to maintain its role in shaping the future of the Middle East and larger Asia. Highlighting the contradictions in British policies toward the region, it argues that these policies were mainly characterized by a colonial mindset that regarded Armenians and other local forces merely as serviceable instruments for realizing a broader imperialist agenda.

“Gays in Your Living Room”: LGBTQ+ Television, Homophobia, and the Birth of Channel 4 in 1980s Britain

ABSTRACT This article examines the conflicting attitudes toward homosexuality and public-service broadcasting among British program-makers, pressure groups, newspapers, politicians, and viewers in the 1980s through the prism of Channel 4’s One in Five (1983), billed as “the first programme ever to begin to show what it means to be positively gay.” It pairs a close reading of the broadcast with wide-ranging research in the archives of broadcasters, LGBTQ+ organizations, Parliament, and the press to show why minority programming formed a major arena of contestation over the representation and rights of lesbian and gay people in late twentieth-century Britain. Straight opposition to One in Five captured the strength and characteristics of homophobia in the 1980s, while the program’s divisive effect on queer audiences illuminated divisions within the LGBTQ+ community at the cusp of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The program was dogged by difficulties in creating a cohesive queer identity capable of accommodating differences in gender and ethnicity, region and nation, lifestyle, class, sexual practices, and political orientation. The inception, production, and reception of One in Five simultaneously highlight the particularities of sexual politics in Thatcherite Britain and ongoing dilemmas about the processes and merits of achieving inclusion, diversity, and equality for marginalized groups.

Black British Politics, Bernie Grant, and the Question of Hong Kong Migration

Black British Politics, Bernie Grant, and the Question of Hong Kong Migration

The British NHS at 75: Past, Contemporary, and Future Challenges.

This article assesses how and why the National Health Service (NHS) has remained at the forefront of British politics and society for 75 years amid significant economic pressures, organizational strain, shifting ideological trends, ongoing reforms, and an unprecedented public health emergency. The postwar "years of consensus" evolved into alleged decline and ostensible neglect during the 1980s, while New Labour sought to rejuvenate this core public service after 1997, featuring investment and often controversial reforms that challenged the party's social democratic values. Amid the New Labour era, NHS powers filtered down to devolved administrations, while from 2008 retrenchment and austerity ensued, fueled by global recession. Austerity eventually subsided, yet from early 2020 the NHS swiftly faced the extreme conditions of the globalized Covid-19 pandemic. The service continues to face challenges regarding its longer-term viability, and this article analyzes this scenario, within the context of the NHS's 75-year historical legacy, its contemporary status, comparative international trends, and likely future evolution.

‘Towards a modern democracy’? The constitutional politics of the 1990s British left

ABSTRACT This article argues that a ‘constitutional lens’ sheds light on British political contestation in the 1990s. It is commonly suggested that 1990s politicians merely consolidated the hegemony of ‘Thatcherism’. Yet, this struggles to encompass the decade’s political volatility, from the Conservatives’ descent into internecine warfare over the Maastricht Treaty to the fraught Irish peace process. Though varied, these developments shared a key theme: controversy over the constitution of the United Kingdom. To illustrate its case, this article applies the constitutional lens to the 1990s left. Existing accounts emphasise Labour’s concessions to Conservative opponents. By 2001, however, the first Blair government had enacted contentious constitutional changes: devolution, proportional voting systems, and a Human Rights Act. These policies reflected a dynamic, new, liberal-left politics of constitutional reform. From the 1980s, liberals, social democrats and Marxists forged a new constitutional agenda, responding to trends since the 1960s—growing ‘popular individualism’, agitation for ‘human rights’, European integration, and Scottish nationalism—and to the end of the Cold War. By the 1990s, campaigners had developed a bold programme for ‘modernising the constitution’, which influenced Labour’s programme. Through New Labour’s governments, this agenda profoundly reshaped the institutions of British politics in the twenty-first century.

The Church of England and British Politics Since 1900. Edited by Tom Rodger, Philip Williamson, and Matthew Grimley

The Church of England and British Politics Since 1900. Edited by Tom Rodger, Philip Williamson, and Matthew Grimley

The asymmetric power model 20 years on

Abstract It is over 20 years since the publication of the Asymmetric Power Model (APM). In the ensuing period, Britain has faced multiple challenges: the increasing fragmentation of public services; austerity politics; devolution; and, most recently, coronavirus disease and Brexit. It is this backdrop which provides the context to this article. First, it addresses how the literature has subsequently evolved. It then examines what has changed over the last two decades while also emphasizing what remains the same. Here, we highlight issues regarding both increased inequality and instability, focusing particularly on tension emerging from a de-centralizing-recentralizing approach to governance. The article concludes by offering a revised APM as a means of understanding British politics moving forward.

Disability and Representation in British Politics

Disability and Representation in British Politics

Nancy Seear and the Investigation of Women’s Employment

An important figure in twentieth-century British politics, Beatrice (Nancy) Seear’s principal legacy is her contribution to ensuring the passage of equal pay and sex discrimination legislation, first as an academic and adviser to the Ministry of Labour and then as a Liberal life peer (appointed in 1971). She led a remarkable life combining academic work at the London School of Economics, policy influence, and political leadership. Through her research on the organization of work in industry, which was informed by her experience as a personnel manager, she helped to found personnel management as a distinct field of study, and she made a significant contribution to the professionalization of its practice by teaching cohorts of practitioners and leading professional associations. This article reappraises Seear’s work in light of recent critiques of the gendered nature of industrial relations research and of the continuing struggle for pay equality. The work of pioneering women social scientists has recently enjoyed renewed attention as feminists seek to uncover hidden lives and challenge masculine bias.