Regional and National Identity

What is Britishness?

Understanding Regional Identity

• Pick3ofthefollowingregionsandstereotypetheirregionalidentity:– Northerners– Southerners– Essex– Scottish– Welsh– Scousers– Geordies– Yorkshire– Mancs– Brummies– Londoners

Northerners• Stereotype – ‘NorthernMonkeys’,Loud,rude,drinkalotandofalowerstatus

• Costume– Tracksuitorcheap/casualclothes

• Dialogue/dialect– Vowelsoundsover-pronounced

• Make up– Overthetoporminimal

• Class/Status– Low

Southerners• Stereotype

– ‘Poncy Southerners’arrogantandposh• Dialogue/dialect

– Wellspoken– ‘TheraininSpainfallsmainlyonthe

plain’• Costume

– Suitandtie,tailoredclothinganddresses

• Props– Briefcase

• Make up– Classyandtoaminimum

• Class/Status– Middle/Upper

Essex• Stereotype

– Imageconscious,unintelligent, lovetoshopandparty• StereotypecoinedbyTOWIE(TheOnlyWayisEssex)• Dialogue/dialect

– 'Shutup’&'OhmyGod'=commonphrases• Costume

– Girls=Revealing/OTTBoys:Fashionable• Location

– Clubs,Boutiques&Hairdressers/Salons• Props

– Expensive,flashy,tackyhandbags,uptodatemobile• Makeup

– Faketan,fakeeyelashesandhairextensions• Class/Status

– LowerMiddle

Scottish• Stereotype

– Humourless,hateothernations,alcoholicandviolent,devoidofveggies

• Dialogue/dialect– Strongaccent'och''wee’(loud)

• Costume– Kilt,Tartan,Tamo'Shanter

• Location– Highlands,Cold&Vastopenspaces

• Props– Bagpipes,Haggis,Whisky

• Makeup– Gingerhairandfreckles

• Class/Status– Lowerclass(farmers)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp-jVwBGUsI

Welsh

• Stereotype– Small,darkhairedpeoplewhoallplayrugby,singinchoirs,herd

sheepormine(coal)• Dialogue/dialect

– Very‘song-like’andmelodic,slowandexaggeratedpronunciation,lackofvowelsinwords

• Costume– Rugbyshirts

• Location– Rugbypitch,church,pub,fieldswithsheep

• Props– Sheep,daffodils,leeks,rugbyball,dragons

• Makeup– Minimal

• Class/Status– Middle/Lower

Scousers• Stereotype=Dangerous;‘WhydoestheriverMerseyrunthroughLiverpool?Ifitwalkeditwouldgetmugged’

• Dialogue/dialect=Flemmy,difficulttounderstand;'like'prominentk's

• Costume=Tracksuits,verycasualcheaplookingclothing

• Location=Pub/home• Props=Cheaplookingjewellery• Makeup=Minimal,orOTT• Class/Status=Low

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STIvNjWobzA

Yorkshire

• Dialogue/dialect='Ey up’,‘An'Ah'll tellthi thatfernowt’,don’tpronounce‘t’s’

• Costume=Flatcaps,tweedjackets

• Location=Openfields,countrypubs,Localshops

• Props=Whippets/YorkshireterrierandYorkshirepuddings

• Makeup=Minimal/Pale• Class/Status=Low

(farmers)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzAD2GLfaNU

Geordies• Stereotype=Loud,swearalot,

partyanimalsandbingedrinkers(helpcoinedbyGeordieShore)

• Dialogue/dialect=‘wayeyeman’,difficulttounderstand

• Costume=Revealing,tightclothing

• Location=Busytowncentres,clubs,urbanareas

• Makeup=Overthetop,faketan,darkhair

• Class/Status=Lowermiddle/middle

Mancs

• Stereotype=Loud,rude,funnyandfondoffighting(HelpedcoinedbyOasis)

• Dialogue/dialect=‘Oh,aye’‘Nowt’• Costume=ManchesterUnited• Shirt• Location=Busytowncentres• Class/Status=Low/lower• middle

Brummies

• Stereotype=Unintelligentandunfriendly

• Dialogue/dialect='Yow'heavilypronunciationthe'ow'of'You'

• Costume=Casual• Location=Busy,industrialised

centres• Makeup=Greasyhair• Class/Status=Low

Londoners (Northern)

• - Dialogue/dialect=Wellspoken,rangeofvocabulary

• -Costume=Cashmerejumpers/sweatersandsuits

• -Location=Skyscrapers,swankybars,poshhomes

• -Props=Briefcase• -Class/Status=Middle/upper

Londoners (Cockney / South London)

• - Dialogue/dialect=‘Gorblimey’– Rhymingslang‘applesandpairs=stairs’,– dropping‘t’s’

• -Costume=Flatcaps• -Location=Busystreets,marketstalls• -Makeup=Minimal• -Class/Status=Low

Mind Mapping• TrainSpotting• Braveheart/• MonarchoftheGlen• Emmerdale• Shameless• DocMartin• EastEnders• Gavin&Stacey• Broadchurch• TheReplacement• PeakyBlinders• DowntonAbbey• Skins• WaterlooRoad• Corrie• Misfits• Sherlock• Dr. Who• Torchwood

TEXTUAL Analysis

1.Cinematography2.Mise-en-Scene

Characters&Costume,Props, Setting/Location3.Editing4.Sound

DiegeticSound (Dialect,Colloquialisms)

The satellite map shows us a city sprawl so we know that the programme is set

in an urban area. However it is the River Thames than reveals the specific

location as being London.

Regional Identity can be seen by the views we see in the

picture. We can see the countryside in the distance and we can also see an old

vehicle of which is only used in the countryside.

You can tell that this is set in the country also

because the background of the first picture is the country

and in the second picture the house is styled as a country

house. Also, what the characters are wearing

symbolises ‘the country’

You can tell that this is set in an estate as there are flats in the background and the people look like they aren't of a high class because of the clothes they are wearing therefore we would expect them to live there and if there is a show about them

then it would be set here.

Manchester- Mancunians,orMancs Liverpool– Scousers

Task:Asyouwatch,writenotesandthenwriteoneP.E.Eforeachofthefollowingclips

As you watch, consider:•Setting•Accents•Dialogue•Props•Make up

•Class of characters•Costumes

Revision Clips

• (middleclass/upperclasscharactersdonothaveregionalaccentsandarepresented‘asintelligent’whilethelocalsareridiculed–linkstoMarxism).

Key Theorists

• TheoristAndrewHigson (1998)writes;“Identityisgenerallyunderstood tobethe

sharedidentityofnaturalizedinhabitantsofaparticularpolitical-geographic space

– thiscanbeaparticularnationorregion.”

• BenedictAnderson (1983)maintainsthatthemediaplayavitalroleinconstructing

anational/regional identityasinrealitythenationistoobigforeveryone toknow

eachotheryettheyoftenhavesharedvalues;“Theunificationofpeople inthe

modernworldisachievednotbymilitarybutbyculturalmeans,inparticularthe

mediasystemenablespeople (ofanationorregion) tofeelpartofacoherent,

meaningful andhomogenous community.”

Higson(1998)claimsthatmanyTVdramas(suchasEastenders,Corrieetc.)demonstratetheimportanceofcommunityandpatriarchalvalues;“Socialandculturaldifferencesseemlesssignificantwhenshared.Thecommonpurposepullstheindividualcharactersofthedramatogether,forgesthemintoanorganic,self-functioningcommunityandensuresthateachpersonhasaclearroleinthecommunity.Thissmall,self-containedfunctionalcommunitycanthenbereadasstandingforthenation,whichistherebyimaginedasaconsensualgatheringtogetherofthediverseinterestsofindividualswhomakeupthatcommunity.”

Higson (1998)andCorrigan(1992)arguesthatTVdramadoes

notalwayspresentcommunitieslikethis,“Identityisfluid,

unstableandcontingentoncircumstances”(Corrigan1992)

“Allegiancesareforeverbeingmade,unmadeandremade;

communitycannotbetakenforgranted;theyareinsecure

andoftenself-destructive…Tensionofrace,gender,sexuality,

thefamilyandgenerationsrepresentnotsimplyas

multiculturalbutindisarray”(Higson 1998).

• Inshort,asHigson summarised;“Imagesofsocialandcultural

disturbanceandfragmentationaremoreprominentthanimagesof

consensualcommunity”thisobviouslypaintsaslightlynegative

imageofmulticulturalBritain.

• Higson goesontoarguethatTVdramahastofindwaysof

representinghybrididentitiesinmulticulturalBritain;“AsBritain

becomesvisiblymulticultural,sothemakersofmediatextshave

attemptedtodealwithplurality,tofindspaceinrepresentationfor

culturalminorities,ethnicorotherwise.Indoingso,thecultural

boundariesofthenationhavebeenredefined,andawider,more

extendedandhybridnational‘community’imagined.”

ConstructingimagesofRegional/Nationalidentity:

• AccordingtoHigson (1989)therearetwowaysin

whichtheprocessofconstructingimagesof

national/regionalidentityshouldbeunderstood;“The

firstinvolvesaninwardlookingprocess,definingthe

nationintermsofitsownculturalhistory.Thesecond

isamoreoutward-lookingprocess,definingthenation

intermsofitsdifferencefromothers.”

Inotherwords,stereotypesplayalargeroleinconstructingimagesofidentityandthesecaneitherreaffirmnotionsofanation(historic/culture)orcontradictthem.Forexample,asHigson (1998)states;“FilmlikeTrainspotting(1995)dealwithquitespecificculturaltraditions,includingworkingclasstraditions,youthtraditions,allofwhichcanbesubsumedundertheumbrellatermBritishness.”Inotherwords,TrainspottingtapsintotraditionalstereotypesofScotlandwhileillustratingwhatthesestereotypesmeantoworkingclassyouths(social-realistinterpretation).Interestingly,thisfilmchangedthewaythisfilmrepresentedScotlandchangedoutwardperceptionsofthenations(negatively).

Higson alsoarguesthat;“Representationsofnational/regionalidentityareconstructedasthenarrativeofthetextunfolds,ascharactersarepittedagainstoneanother,soasenseofidentityemerges…butatthesametimeproducersoftenresorttostereotypingasameansofestablishingcharacterandidentity.”

• Higsongoesontosay;“Stereotypingisaformofshorthand,away

ofestablishingcharacterbyadoptingrecognisableandwell

establishedconventionsofrepresentation…thestereotypereduces

characterstothemostbasicformandattemptstonaturalisethem

andthemorewidelyrecognisabletheybecomethemorereadily

theyareaccepted.Exceptthatifastereotypebecomesmorewidely

recognisableitbecomescomic”.

• Higsonadds;“Nowonderthenthataparticularcharacterization

maybecriticisedforbeingstereotypical,meaningitlacksarealistic

dimension,itfailstomatchuptotherealityofidentity.”

• AsHigson pointsout,itisalwaysimportanttoanalyse: “Identitiesandalliances,inparticularrelatingtoclass,ethnicity,religion,classandgender.”Inotherwords,howdoesacertainregionseemtoviewthesethingsandwhatdoesitimplytheproducerwantsyoutothinkaboutthisregionanditsviews.

Intermsofregionalidentity,itisagainimportantto

rememberMedhurt – thinkaboutwhothedominant

producersarebecauseitisoftenthecasetheystereotype

those‘notlikethem’(workingclass‘CornishCarrot

Crunchers’etc.).Also,itisworthnotingthatifmiddle

classwhitemenappearinregionalTVdramas(e.g.Dr

Martin/VicarofDibley)theyareusuallymadeouttobe

educatedandreasonableunlikethelocals.