The remaining overseas territories

What served a push towards the end of the Empire? How could the political and economical situation in the world influence the destiny of the colonies?

What colonies separated, when and why?

2. The territorial changes

Most former British colonies are now members of the Commonwealth of Nations, a non-political, voluntary association of equal members, in which the United Kingdom has no privileged status. The head of the Commonwealth is currently Queen Elizabeth II. Fifteen members of the Commonwealth continue to share their head of state with the United Kingdom, as Commonwealth realms.

PROJECT WORK: The Commonwealth

What are the Commonwealth countries? What are the relations of the Commonwealth countries and the UK?

2. The social changes

Impacts on culture (Britain→ colonies / colonies→ Britain) Has Asia brought any spice into conservative Britain?

Population (immigrants) - who, when and what for? Fill in the table below:

Make sure that you can interpret such notions

“Mother country”, The Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962, Race Relation Acts 1965-1976, The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) 1976

Ethnic Minorities: problems of survival; racism; adaptation. Article “The Chinese in Britain”

How would you interpret the following?

“Racism is an integral part of our culture - of the sense of Britishness…It is a pervasive atmosphere, endemic within the body (politic), so that to threaten racism is to threaten the stability of the unjust order of which it is a central part.”

Kenneth Leech, “Struggle in Babylon” (Sheldon Press 1988)

SOURSES: 1. Britain (the country and its people: an introduction for learners of English), James O’Driscoll, Oxford University Press, chapters 1, 4, 5

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1113