Cultura: CEX 9 Social Diversity in the UK PDF

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CEX 9: SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN THE UK A FOODIE’S APPROACH TO SOCIAL CHANGE Food is a very significant cultural manifestation. Societies and even historical evolution can be explained and understood through food. This also applies to the transformation of the UK into a socially diverse and multicultural society. Some British dishes: ● ●

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Fish and chips. Fish with chips and mushy peas. Eccles cake. Named after the Greater Manchester town of the same name, Eccles cakes are small, round cakes made with flaky pastry and filled with currants. Interestingly, they don’t have protected geographical status, so Eccles cakes can be made everywhere. Black pudding. A blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal and blood. It was even hailed as a superfood, for its protein, potassium, calcium and magnesium content. And it’s even almost carb-free. Laverbread. A traditional Welsh dish that has little to do with bread itself. To make laverbread, seaweed is boiled, then minced or puréed and sometimes rolled in oatmeal before being fried. Richard Burton once described it as ‘’Welshman’s caviar’’. Cullen skink. A thick Scottish soup made from smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. Perfect for warming your cockles after a day’s fishing in Cullen (in Moray, Scotland - where the dish originated) or just a day at work. Scotch egg. Classic British picnic food of hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and baked or deep-fried. Scotch eggs were apparently created in 1809, by domestic goddess Mrs Rundell. She recommended serving them hor, with gravy. Steak and kidney pie. Traditional pie made with salted beef broth, thickened with flour or cornstarch and often with ale or stout added. British comfort food at its best. Yorkshire pudding. A batter dish made with eggs, flour and milk or water and eaten with gravy. The yorkshire pudding was voted the UK’s best reggional in this year’s Diner’s Club Gourmet Society Poll, beating scones and cream and Cornish pasties to the top. Shepherd’s pie. A meat (usually beef or lamb) pie with a mashed-potato crust. Also referred to as ‘’cottage pie’’, the name shepherd’s pie first appeared in 1877. Toad in the hole. Usually sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, often served with vegetables and onion gravy. Why the name? Apparently because the look of the dish resembles a toad poking its head out of a hole, of course. Bread and butter pudding. A pudding made by layering slices of stale buttered bread, raisins and egg custard mix. It’s come a long way since its origins i 1728, when it was called ‘’whitepot’’ and used butter or bone marrow. Full English breakfast. Close companion to the builder’s tea and beloved of the greasy spoon, cooked breakfast meals usually include bacon, sausages, eggs, toast,

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mushrooms, beans, tomatoes and tea or coffee - and don’t go easy on the milk and sugar. Haggis. A savoury dish of minced sheep’s heart, liver and lungs with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, haggis shot to fame as Scotland’s national dish the publication of Robert Burns’ poem Address to a Haggis in 1787. Lancashire hotpot. A dish from lamb (or mutton) and onion, topped with sliced potatoes and left to bake in the oven on a low heat. An undisputed Northern classic. Bubble and squeak. Usually the leftover vegetables from a traditional roast dinner (potato, cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts) fried in a hot pan - hence the name, which mimics the sound of the dish cooking - and eaten hot.

¿What is the difference between a coffee house and a curry house? The first Curry House appeared in 1810 under the name H  indoostanee Coffee House (Curry was served prior to this in some London coffee houses). Those Curry Houses was focused on sell indian food like a restaurant, while Coffee Houses primarily serves coffee, tea and related to coffee drinks. Furthermore, Coffee Houses was for the high conservative class and Curry Houses for the immigrants and poor classes. Robin Cook Speech In 2001 former UK Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, issued a famous speech in which he analysed the challenges ahead for British people at the turn of the 21st century. Namely those were immigration, European membership and the country’s fragmentation. The speech, however, is known as his “Tikka masala speech” because of the analysis he makes of multicultural Britain. The extract below highlights the core of his thesis (read the text and make sure that you can understand his views and would be able to report on them or refer to the significance of tikka masala as an icon of British social transformation): “The first element in the debate about the future of Britishness is the changing ethnic composition of the British people themselves. The British are not a race, but a gathering of countless different races and communities, the vast majority of which were not indigenous to these islands. […] The idea that Britain was a ‘pure’ Anglo-Saxon society before the arrival of communities from the Caribbean, Asia and Africa is fantasy. But if this view of British identity is false to our past, it is false to our future too. The global era has produced population movements of a breadth and richness without parallel in history. […] Today’s London is a perfect hub of the globe. It is home to over 30 ethnic communities of at least 10,000 residents each. In this city tonight, over 300 languages will be spoken by families over their evening meal at home. This pluralism is not a burden we must reluctantly accept. It is an immense asset that contributes to the cultural and economic vitality of our nation. […]

Legitimate immigration is the necessary and unavoidable result of economic success, which generates a demand for labour faster than can be met by the birth-rate of a modern developed country. Every country needs firm but fair immigration laws. […] And it isn't just our economy that has been enriched by the arrival of new communities. Our lifestyles and cultural horizons have also been broadened in the process. This point is perhaps more readily understood by young Britons, who are more open to new influences and more likely to have been educated in a multi-ethnic environment. But it reaches into every aspect of our national life. Chicken Tikka Masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The Masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy. Coming to terms with multiculturalism as a positive force for our economy and society will have significant implications for our understanding of Britishness. […]” Cultural diversity and hybridisation Cultural diversity is not only about the integration of traditions from different groups (e.g. Indian, Chinese and Italian food, Caribbean and African music, etc.) but also involves hybridity, i.e. the blending or hybridisation of different traditions. For example, Louisiana Creole which is a combination of African, French, and English languages. Global restaurant chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken or McDonald's (KFC), modifying their menus to suit the tastes or mores of different cultures. WEST-INDIAN IMMIGRATION Mind that different labels have been in use to refer to people from the Caribbean colonies, i.e. to the Caribbean diaspora: Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean, West Indian, Jamaican (even when referring to people from Trinidad or Grenada). Columbus first stepped foot in the Bahamas, he called these islands the Indies because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies). Spain, when Columbus' mistake was discovered, (pardon the pun) renamed them the West Indies, to distinguish them from the Spice Islands in the Pacific Ocean, (the East Indies) which we now call Indonesia. EMPIRE, WAR AND (IM)MIGRATION Immigration from the colonies did not start in the 20th century. Actually, the arrival of immigrants was in itself a consequence of the expansion of Empire.

How did World War II help pave the way for future immigration? As a result of the devastation caused by the World War II in Europe, a lot of people migrate to America looking for a better life. As the UK needed help to the reconstruction of the country, they offered a job for the west indians and a better life if they come to “the motherland” and helps to rebuild the state. Furthermore an economic aid called Marshall Plan helps the reconstruction of Europe. 5 July 1945 The 1945 election marked a watershed in British history. The successful Conservative wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, was defeated by Clement Attlee's Labour Party. Attlee's landslide victory ushered in the welfare state and the National Health Service. The commanding heights of the British economy were nationalised. India was granted independence. Attlee's government changed the face of British society, creating a new social consensus that was to remain largely unchanged until 1979. How did other Commonwealth countries influence Britain’s decision to invite immigrants from the colonies? Sending british citizens to Australia encourage the UK to invite immigrants so that they could have good results as in Australia. POST-WAR OPEN-DOOR POLICY The British Nationality Act (1948) changed the colour profile of the UK for ever, this act gave the nationality to every single person who was born in UK dependences. The Lord Kitchener’s song ‘London is the place for me’ encapsulates the immigrant’s feelings and expectations on arrival. Thanks to this act West Indians gained British Nationality, people in the Caribbean were attracted to Britain because of the job opportunities. They were welcomed by the press that greeted those immigrants sd British citizens. The main problem to be solved on the arrival of immigrants were the housing problem (people hadn’t a place to live). When the immigrants arrived they lodged in Notting Hill, this place represents the arrival of a new generation. RACISM AND RIOTS By the mid-1950’s about 25,000 West Indians arrived in Britain, the children was often the main reason for the West Indian immigration, they wanted children to have a better

education. Lloyd George’s opinion about the West Indies is that they are the slums of the Empire. ‘‘Much of the outcry against immigrants arises from the color bar, which legally does not exist in Britain, Nevertheless, we accept with little criticism the fast that thousand of white foreigners including 15,000 former enemies have made their homes in this country.’’ There was to main problem in this period: 1. The lack of employment and food scarcity in the West Indies. 2. The housing problem in the UK. This problem called ‘Jamaican problem’ was a problem that concerns the Crown and the government. For some people the immigration was treated as an illness, the major problem they contemplate was the influx of people, and, also, the inter-breeding. That period reflects the hardship for the British people assimilating the immigrants. The Teddy Boys. Also a new subculture appear, the Teddy Boys, it combined Edwardian clothing, American Rock and Roll music and in some cases gang violence. RESTRICTIONS AND PROTESTS New Legislation ● ● ●

Commonwealth Immigrants Act (1962): Restricted immigration to Commonwealth citizens with a government issued employment voucher. Race Restriction Act (1965): Made it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race in public places. Race Restriction Act (1968): Made it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race in housing, employment and provision of goods and services.

Notting Hill riot Amidst racial intolerance and competition over resources, the white working class of the Notting Hill area, London, UK, launched an attack against members of the black community on August 30, 1958. Forced to arm themselves in defense, the confrontation lasted a week. The immigration from the former colonies didn’t stop after the Notting Hill riots, but they did after the Commonwealth Immigrants Act (1962) was passed. The immigrants felt apart about the new restrictions on immigrantions. To compensate them, the government prohibited racial discrimination in the public and private life. Colour bar. A social system in which black and other non-white people are denied access to the same rights, opportunities, and facilities as white people.

Carnival The most outstanding cultural legacy of the 1958 riots and West-Indian immigration was the Notting Hill Carnival. The carnival was brought in from Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean islands). Carnival has the origin in the slaves, that weren’t allowed to walk on the streets. After the slavery was avoided the carnival appeared: people dances and sing on the streets as a symbol of freedom. The Notting Hill Carnival is now a major touristic London highlight and Europe’s most important street festival. The communities’ diversity (several nationalities, cultures, etc.) makes Notting Hill carnival a unique celebration. In 1976, during Notting Hill carnival, a lot of policemen appear this generated a lot of tension that end on a riot. At first the police’s presence created tension but nowadays even the authorities and other social classes celebrate the carnival. ENOCH POWELL’S (IN)FAMOUS SPEECH Powell’s 1968 speech condensed the far-right ideology about immigration at the time and many of his postulates have survived in the national collective conscious as a reference to vindicate or denigrate whenever there is a crisis related to Immigration or inter-racial violence. Echoes of this speech are nowadays found in the declarations of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) members and pro-Brexit people. An excerpt of the outstanding passages from the speech: “[…] A week or two ago I fell into conversation with a constituent, a middle-aged, quite ordinary working man […] he suddenly said: "If I had the money to go, I wouldn't stay in this country […] I have three children, all of them been through grammar school and two of them married now, with family. I shan't be satisfied till I have seen them all settled overseas. In this country in 15 or 20 years' time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man.” […] What he is saying, thousands and hundreds of thousands are saying and thinking - not throughout Great Britain, perhaps, but in the areas that are already undergoing the total transformation to which there is no parallel in a thousand years of English history. […] "How can its dimensions be reduced?" […] The answers to the simple and rational question are equally simple and rational: by stopping, or virtually stopping, further inflow, and by promoting the maximum outflow. Both answers are part of the official policy of the Conservative Party. […]

The third element of the Conservative Party's policy is that all who are in this country as citizens should be equal before the law and that there shall be no discrimination or difference made between them by public authority. As Mr Heath has put it we will have no "first-class citizens" and "second-class citizens." This does not mean that the immigrant and his descendent should be elevated into a privileged or special class […] [W]hile, to the immigrant, entry to this country was admission to privileges and opportunities eagerly sought, the impact upon the existing population was very different. For reasons which they could not comprehend, and in pursuance of a decision by default, on which they were never consulted, they found themselves made strangers in their own country. […] For these dangerous and divisive elements, the legislation proposed in the Race Relations Bill is the very pabulum they need to flourish. Here is the means of showing that the immigrant communities can organise to consolidate their members, to agitate and campaign against their fellow citizens […]. Like the Roman, I seem to see “the River Tiber foaming with much blood” […]. Comments: The imagery Powell evoke saying ‘having the whip over the white man’ in the power (or abuse of power) of immigrants over the white men. To Powell Race Relations Bill is dangerous because it could make the immigration power flourish. He is imagining a future in which immigrants have the power over white men.

FROM POWELL TO THATCHER The policy of successive British governments during the 1960s was a balancing act between immigration controls on the one hand and measures to tackle racial discrimination on the other.

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Commonwealth Immigration Act of 1968 (by a Labour government): entry restricted to those actually born in the UK, or who had a parent/grandparent who was. The Immigration Act of 1971(by a Conservative government): Commonwealth citizens lost their automatic right to remain in the UK. Notting Hill Carnival Riots (1976) Race Relations Act (1976) made discrimination unlawful in employment, training, education, and the provision of goods and services. Race Relations Act (1978) made discrimination unlawful in employment, training, education, and the provision of goods and services.

Margaret Thatcher becomes PM. Her iron-hand liberal and anti-unionist policies triggered a period of rising social unrest, economic deregulation, immigration control and assimilationist practices. Mrs Thatcher claimed that many people felt that their country was being “swamped” by immigrants and the consequences it had for the general election. ASSIMILATION vs. INTEGRATION Brixton riots VIOLENCE CONTINUES As a consequence, and in spite of, all the shifts in policies undertaken during and after Thatcher’s time, racial conflicts persisted into the 21st century and erupted in a succession of riots. A historic turning point occurred when Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death by a band of racist youths as he was waiting for a bus in South London. The suspects were soon identified, but the police took too long to arrest them, and they were only imprisoned after an 18-year legal battle. There were protests supporting his family’s fight for justice and the case eventually entered the public consciousness as a turning point in British attitudes towards racist violence and police complicity. In 1997, the recently elected Labour government led by Tony Blair set up a public enquiry. The subsequent 1999 Macpherson Report concluded that the police investigation had failed due to ‘’a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism, and a failure of leadership by senior officers.’’ MULTICULTURALISM AND THE NEW MILLENIUM At the turn of the 21st century, and in the aftermath of the MacPherson Report, the New Labour government opted for a different approach to tackle racial and cultural conflicts: multiculturalism. Rather than requiring immigrants to assimilate to traditional (white) British values, the authorities acknowledged cultural diversity as a new British reality, and policies

were introduced to allow immigrants to preserve their own traditions and for institutions to adapt to the country’s cultural diversity. The most significant piece of legislation was the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000), which required local authorities “to eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities, as well as develop race equality policies in a proactive rather than a reactive way, as had previously been the case.” According to the new liberal discourse, with their effort and cultural diversity immigrants contributed to strengthen the UK instead of jeopardizing its future. As a result of this new approach, official publicity began to offer a positive view of immigrants, who were repeatedly shown proudly displaying the Union Jack, while white anti-immigrant groups adopted the English flag in their rallies and slogans. Likewise, “British” became an inclusive identity label many immigrants embraced as opposed to “English”, which they perceived more strongly connected with white values. These are some examples of the ever-present display of the Union Jack in connection with sports exploits and heroes or of the Royal Family departing with members of ethnic minorities. It also incl...