British Culture-contemporary.ppt

Contemporary British Culture and Society Sept. 2005 by Xiao Huiyun Updated- May 2012 by GD Moreau Exam Details June 11 or June 4 40 questions T F Fill-in the blanks Multiple choice 1 hour Objectives Today we will look at some general features of Britain and set the scene for the more detailed examination of particular aspects of life there Focal Questions What is the full name of the British state? What countries does it consist of? What is the total population of the United Kingdom? Where do most people live? Do you think that most of the ethnic minorities in Britain have different age structures from that of the white population? Why? What do you think are the most important factors in determining class? How do you understand the status of women in contemporary Britain? What are some of the key changes over the last fifty years in the UK? Geography The British Isles is a traditional term used to identify the group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe consisting of Great Britain, Ireland and the many smaller adjacent islands (over 16). These islands form an archipelago off the west coast of Europe, 315,134 km2 To many Irish people as well as Scottish and Welsh nationalists, the term British Isles is unacceptable. Geography continued The term is no longer used in Irish state documents, has been abandoned from Irish schoolbooks and is being phased out of textbooks. Its usage is also decreasing in official British state documentation, out of sensitivity to the concerns of Irish, Scottish and Welsh people and the evolving new geo-political relationships. Alternative name - the issue of a replacement term remains unsettled as of 2003, though in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process the term Islands of the North Atlantic (IoNA), has been used as a neutral term to describe these islands . Geography continued IoNA or The British Isles Geography cont. National Flag-(Union Jack) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and No