Professor Christopher Flood

The public service broadcasting (PSB) remit of the BBC prescribes objectives of accuracy, impartiality, fairness and balance in news reporting but also requires the broadcaster to serve specified civic values deemed essential to the proper functioning of British society. Since this combination of civic values is not ideologically neutral, it raises the question of how liberal ideological assumptions are communicated in news items purporting to be ideology-free. We examine the question in relation to the representation of Islam(ism) as a security threat. Using a cross-disciplinary conceptual and methodological framework, we analyse reports sampled from nightly recording of the BBC’s Ten O’Clock News over two years (Nov. 06 – Oct. 08). Our procedure combines statistical analysis of salience with a case study based on close reading of two items concerning the trial of a Muslim man on charges of incitement to racial hatred and murder. The concluding discussion reflects on the tension involved in combining the two sides of the PSB remit in practice.

This paper examines the relative power of identity and utilitarian explanations of the variation in public support for the European Union (EU) as well as the relationship these have with one another. Using Eurobarometer data from 1990 to 2007, the results in this paper demonstrate that contrary to previous research, national economic and societal utility calculations about the EU have greater explanatory power than identity issues. It is also found that unemployment, crime and exclusive national identity mediate the relationship between immigration and EU support. In the light of these findings, the article draws implications for politics at EU and national level.

Multiculturalism still matters and is even more important after 7/7 than it was before. The political discourse and rhetoric of integration sits uncomfortably alongside both multicultural realities e.g. the civil disturbances in Birmingham, England (October 2005), Paris, France (November 2005) and Sydney, Australia (December, 2005) and social scientific notions of where multiculturalism positions itself domestically and internationally. This edited collection is intended to be a major contribution to studies of multiculturalism examining the historical background and anthropological context, alongside more contemporary applied social policy perspectives. In this volume, we argue that a multicultural perspective is as relevant and important, both socially and politically in a post 7/7 world. Within a post 7/7 context, there are contributors within this edited collection who argue for both integrationist and multicultural approaches. The volume acknowledges both concepts and encourages the reader to increase understandings of both arguments and position her / himself within the debates.

Nationalism, ethnicity and citizenship lie at the heart of many of the societal changes that are currently transforming countries across the world. Global migration has undermined old certainties provided by the established framework of nation-states, with inward migration, cultural diversity and transnational affiliations having become established facts of life in many countries. These phenomena raise significant challenges for traditional conceptions of citizenship. This book provides a detailed examination, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, of contemporary issues relating to nationalism, ethnicity and citizenship. The book aims to take stock of current understandings in this area, and to establish whether there are connections between the understandings that are being articulated within different social science disciplines. The contributors, who are all senior international figures in their respective fields, are drawn from a range of disciplines, including Politics, Sociology, Communication/Media, Geography, Psychology and Education. Collectively, they address the following specific questions: • To what extent do multiculturalism and transnationalism undermine nationalism or, on the contrary, provoke its reassertion? • How do the multiple identities and multiple levels of belonging experienced today interact with traditional nationalist ideology? • Within multicultural societies, how far do representations of ‘cultural others’ still play a role in nationalist constructions of ‘the nation’? • How successfully have the welfare systems of nation-states responded to the influx of migrants? • How have national politicians responded to the cultural diversity of their own countries and have they moved beyond the traditional logic of nationalism within their thinking? • Why are extreme right-wing parties gaining increased levels of support? • What social and psychological resources do citizens require in order to function effectively at the political level within multicultural democratic societies? • How can the educational systems of states, which have traditionally been used for nationalist purposes, be harnessed to enhance the competences needed by their citizens for successful living in multicultural societies? • What changes need to be made to educational policies in order to ensure the effective integration of minority citizens? Despite the fact that they have been written from different disciplinary perspectives, the various chapters in this book paint a consistent picture. They offer a view of a world in which nationalism is still very much a dominant ideology which configures the discourse and thinking of citizens and politicians alike about nation-states, ethnic diversity, multiculturalism and citizenship. The crucial role of education is also highlighted, with school systems being uniquely positioned to equip citizens with the psychological resources and intercultural competences that are needed to function effectively within multicultural societies.