Britain, Europe and National Identity : Self and Other in International Relations

Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. "Britain's stormy relationship with the European Union is a frequently cited illustration of a Eurosceptic state par excellence. Possessive of a strong national identity, a unique island status, a plethora of wartime experiences and a tenacious hold over its sovereignty, Britain has long been invested with an 'awkward partner' status. This study seeks to unravel such presuppositions to answer the central research question: How has British national identity been forged and constructed by competing political elite visions of Europe? It patterns Britain's national identity over a number of important historical milestones and brings the debates over Europe up-to-date with an analysis of recent happenings including the referendum on Scottish independence, the global economic crisis and the current crisis in Syria"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-viii Introduction....Pages 1-8 Theory and Method....Pages 9-34 The European Communities Membership Referendum....Pages 35-79 The Maastricht Treaty....Pages 80-126 The Treaty of Lisbon....Pages 127-173 Accounting for Change: The Evolution of British National Identities....Pages 174-189 Conclusion: Post-Lisbon and British National Identity....Pages 190-198 Back Matter....Pages 199-224