British Culture Topic areas for the class test
I. How do British people identify themselves?
1. HO (O’Driscoll) Identity
· The native British The reminders of identity in: Scotland, Wales, England , Northern Ireland
· The non-native British What kind of problems are created by mixed cultural background? British identity of non-whites v their cultural roots
· Geographical identity A sense of identity related to the place of birth A sense of identity with a geographical region
· Religious & political identity Are they an important part of people’s social identity?
· Identity in Northern Ireland
2. HO British Unity in Diversity: aspects of regional differences, the notion of Britishness (Please, pay attention to questions a b c)
II. Images of Wales
1. HO p. 48 Culture, Famous Welshmen & women, Sport
2. HO Saint David and Saint David’s Day
a) What is Saint David synonymous with?
3. HO The History of Wales
a) Who were Marcher Lords?
b) What did Edward I introduce to Wales?
c) What were the implications of the Act of Union?
WALES from a cultural, linguistic, historical and geographical perspective Konspekt:
u Wales a divided country
u Historical background
u Number of speakers
u Since 1960s
u Current status of the Welsh language:
u Welsh & schools
III. Introducing Scotland
1. HO X 5: Clans & Tartans (what these two stand for); Writers & intellectuals; Great Scottish Inventions (two of them); Scotch Whisky; Highland Music & Games
2. Scottish Heritage Konspekt
3. Scottish celebrations: Ceilidh Konspekt
4. Scottish celebrations: Burns Night Konspekt
5. Two aspects of Scotland’s history Konspekt:
u 1320 Declaration of Arbroath sent to the Pope – an appeal for recognition of Scottish independence & sovereignty
u The Battle of Culloden, 1745
u The aftermath of Culloden 2X
u What happened then? The infamous Highland Clearances, (1760s - late 1865)
IV. Northern Ireland The ‘Irish problem’
1. Some facts from Irish history Konspekt
2. The population: the Protestants , the Catholics, Konspekt
3. London’s negligence of basic rights of the Catholic N. Ireland Konspekt
V. Ethnic minorities. Britain as a highly diverse society
1. HO The legacy of the British Empire
2. HO PM’s Speech at Munich Security Conference 2011
a) Why, according to David Cameron, multiculturalism has failed?
3. HO Natural Mystic. Bob Marley & 90’s dance music (Peace & Justice par only – reggae & the Rastafarian message)
IV. Celebrity culture The Queen
1. HO p. 44 A Tour of Duty: Comparable to a small war
2. HO p.42 Regal Routine: Under the constitution; The queen’s engagements
3. HO ‘World Britain: The Wisdom of Queens’ Time Jan 2012 (point 1 & 2 from the article)
VII. British Painting: The Pre-Raphaelites. Banksy & Street Art
1. The Pre-Raphaelites Konspekt
2. HO J. E. Millais Ophelia
3. HO Banksy Art or vandalism
VIII . UK Tertiary Education Konspekt only
1. (1) Oxbridge = Oxford (1209) & Cambridge (1284) founded in the medieval period
2. Oxbridge
3. (2) The Open University = good quality education
4. (3) The early 19th English universities
5. (4) The older civic ('redbrick') universities
6. (5) The campus universities (1960s)
7. (6) The newer civic universities: technical colleges→polytechnics→universities
IX. Sport
1. HO Four shrines of UK sport
2. HO The culture of sport
3. a) HO The Welsh & rugby (working class & amateur)
b) The Scots & football (their national passion & why)
IX. Sports and games – a passport to social contacts Konspekt
· An essential part of Englishness (Fox:239)
· The Victorian era
· The social importance of sport
· The National Lottery
· Sport and the media
· THE 'CROWN JEWELS': Ten Must-Sees on Free TV
X. Nature & culture. Rural England. [The countryside & Englishness] Konspekt only
· Culture and Nature. Opposites?
· Ecology
· Dry stone walls
· Thatching
· Walking
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