Contemporary British Culture and SocietyFor FinalChapter 1 IntroductionA1 Geography continued IONA ?– The British Isles土A 1 Geography cont. *n.a.土National Flag The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland WALES cont.Culture:One thing that marks Wales out from the rest of the Britain is the survival of Welsh as a living language.Welsh food is not well-known. They eat laverbread (a mixture of seaweed, oatmeal and bacon served on toast), Rarebit (cheese on toast with the added flavor of mustard and beer).NORTHERN IRELAND cont.Culture:Perform a dance known as the “jig” which they do to Irish folk music.Very festive people and dance on various occasions.Meals are based around meats like lamb, beef, and pork.Main meal is usually lunch, not dinner.SCOTLAND cont.Culture:Greatest Scottish accomplishments come in the form of science, literature, and philosophy.Bagpipes are very famous in Scotland.Social gathering known as ceilidh were very popular in the traditional culture in which folk stories were told.Today, stories are substituted for drinking and dancing.Scots are known primarily for game dishes like smoked salmon and venisonA2 PopulationUK 59,289,194England 51,138,831Wales 2,903,085Scotland 5,162,011Northern Ireland 1,685,267A2 Populationcontinued Densi tyUKaverage243/km2 England376/ km2 Scotland65/km2Wales141/km2N.Ireland122/km2 France106/km2US27/km2A 4 ClassThe United Kingdom is increasingly described as a classless society.However many people still believe society is ordered in terms of class and that discrimination occurs between classes.Everything a Briton does and says is influenced by class.Accent*, vocabulary*, job*, hobbies* and types of relationship all fit into the class structure.A 5 50 Years of ChangeThe 1950s – a time of great changes in fields of economy, culture, politics.The 1960s – a decade of young rebellious young generationThe 1970s – a decade of strikes and recessionThe 1980s – a decade of ThatcherismThe 1990s – a decade of great expectationA 5. The Devolution 土Jeremy Johnson has been a building labourer since he left university after obtaining a degree in electronics. This was the only job he could get at the time but now he enjoys the physical work and he has decided to continue in the building industry. He says he is middle class.Which class would you say he was in—the middle class or the working class? why? There is no definite answer to the question. There is a subjective perspective ( what class attachment the individual feels) and an objective perspective (which class the individual is allocated to by statisticians).The purpose of the activity is to impress upon the students that class is an indefinite concept in Britain.Chapter 2 Family & Personal RelationshipsA 1 The Family cont. One-parent families & their dependent children 土Sociological Explanations of the Increase in DivorceCan you work out any reasons to explain why in modern world, the divorce rate is increasing all around the world?Sociological Explanations of the Increase in DivorceThe value of marriageConflict between spousesThe ease of divorceWomen, paid employment and marital conflictIncome and classAgeMarital status of parentsBackground and role expectationsOccupationContemporary British Culture and SocietyChapter 3 Family & Relationship ( 2 )A 2 Parents and Children Chinese vs BritishChinese parents are more protective and controlling.The main qualities appreciated in parents and shared by young people in Britain and China alike may be that they are understanding and supporting in crises, allow freedom of action within a framework of constraints and, more pragmatically, offer financial support and contributions. For many young people, parents are obviously a primary source of advice about personal as well as more general problems, especially in relation to employmentChapter 4 Education in UKA1 Change & Reform in SchoolsBefore 1870 schools were set up by churches, 40% of children aged 10 attended From 1870 onwards government took responsibility for education. (why?)It was in response to changes caused by industrial revolution and movement for social & political reformThe 1944 Act in England& Wales gave all children the right to free secondary education The tripartite system – at end of primary education children are selected by means of streaming. Those on the top stream (20%) went to grammar schools. The rest went to secondary modern and technical schoolsA 1 Change & Reform contThe National Curriculum in England and Wales is divided into four Key Stages (KS), three core subjects (English, Mathematics and Science) and nine non-core foundation subjects.A 1 Reform & Change Key Stages and Tests 土The Key Stages are age-related: KS 1 goes up to age seven, KS 2 from seven to eleven, KS 3 from eleven to fourteen (pre-GCSE) and KS 4 from fourteen to sixteen (preparation for GCSE and equivalent vocational qualifications) -A 3 Institutions of Higher Education CambridgeCambridge University was founded in 1209 by students fleeing from Oxford after one of the many episodes of violence between the university and the town of Oxford.A 3 Institution of Higher Education OxfordOxford University. Legend has it that Oxford University was founded by King Alfred in 872. A more likely scenario is that it grew out of efforts begun by Alfred to encourage education and establish schools throughout his territory. There may have been a grammar school there in the 9th century. A grammar school was exactly what it sounds like; a place for teaching Latin grammar. The University as we know it actually began in the 12th century as gatherings of students around popular masters. The university consisted of people, not buildings. The buildings came later as a recognition of something that already existed. In a way, Oxford was never founded; it grew.A 3 Institutions of Higher Education OxbridgeThe Boat Race between Oxford & Cambridge started June 10, 1829The event is now a British national institution, and is televised live each year. The race has been won by Cambridge 77 times and Oxford 71. The 2003 race was amongst the closest in history, with Oxford winning by less than a foot. One entertainment for spectators is the possibility of a boat sinking. This has occurred on three occasions; to the Oxford crew in 1925 and to Cambridge in 1859 and in 1978. The race is currently run over a four mile and 374 yard stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake in London.Click hereA3 Institutions of Higher Learning Crisis Universities in crisisIn most universities resources are spent on day-to-day teaching and research. At the same time academic salaries have stalled: plumbers earn more than professors; research staff are paid less than school dinner ladies. So top academics are fleeing to the US and there are chronic shortages of teaching staff in areas such as law, computing, maths and computersA3 Institutions of Higher Education CrisisHow has all this come about?It boils down to a simple equation: government funding has remained static over the past few decades while the number of students has skyrocketed. As a result, Britain would now have to spend £ 3.5bn a year just to bring the amount it spends per student up to the EU average.A 4 Further Education & Training YTSObjectives of Youth Training Scheme:To give a training opportunity to school leavers who did not get a job or go on to universityTo ensure that these young people learn how to transfer the skills they learn in one job to anotherCritiques: 1. artificially reduce unemployment figures 2.reinforce young people’s status as determined by their class background 3. jobs are not guaranteed after trainingQuestions:What do you understand by the term streaming? Is it a reasonable system?In many British schools, children are grouped together according to their ability, and this is known as “streaming”. The word ‘stream’ can be used as a noun (i.e. She is in the top stream/the A stream.) and as a verb (i.e. The school streams its pupils.)As for whether it is a reasonable system, different people may have different opinions. Some people may not think it fair to put children into groups according to their ability, while others may think it helpful to promote competition among children.Contemporary British Culture & Society ( 5 )Chapter 5 WorkA 4 Unions & ManagementTrade unions: first formed in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, by groups of industrial workers who suffered from extremely low pay and bad working conditionsThere are four types of union:General Unions, which represent workers in a range of industries.Craft Unions, which represent workers from a group of industries who share a particular skillIndustrial Unions, which represent workers in a particular industry whatever their skill is, e.g. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)White Collar Unions, which represent non-manual workers e.g. The National Union of Teachers (NUT)A 4 Unions & ManagementPros.they are essential for protecting the interests of employees who might otherwise get a raw deal from powerful employers or in industries which are declining and where redundancies are highly likely.unions played an active part in persuading the government to pass the Health and Safe Actthey offer a range of services, particularly through the TUC.Constrade unions make excessive wage claimsunion elections are undemocraticunions have become too powerful and should have their ‘wings clipped’.they undermine the competitiveness of British industry because of restrictive practices & opposition to technological progressWhat are the similarities and differences between getting a job in Britain and in China?Contemporary British Culture & Society ( 6 )Chapter 6A 2 Leisure at HomeThe most common leisure activities among people in the United Kingdom are home-based, or social, such as entertaining or visiting relatives and friendsWatching television is by far the most popular leisure pastime; Britain's regular weekly dramas or 'soap operas' have more viewers than any other programme. Other regular pastimes include listening to the radio and to recorded music, reading books, gardening, do-it-yourself home improvements and doing puzzle.Pop and rock albums are the most common type of music bought, and pop is by far the most popular form of musical expression in BritainLanguage & CultureVariations in terminology used to describe people watching leisure entertainment Soccer -- crowds, suggesting “amorphous”Rugby -- spectators, “dispassionate onlookers”Cinema --audiences, more sophisticated, listenTV -- viewers, denying passivity of TV ”couch potato”Theatre -- theatre- goers, some form of dynamismOpera -- opera buffs, uniform worn by smart regimentsConclusion The Defining Factors of IdentityEducation, work, and leisure are defining aspects of British cultural identity. Schools place a distinctive stamp on their pupils – a past pupil will be defined as a product of Shrewbury School or King Street primary.This pattern is repeated in the work arena. People define themselves by their schools and their work functions.Contemporary British Culture and SocietyChapter 7 HOLIDAYS & TOURISMUK - Cotswolds (in southwestern England, is a range of limestone hills famed for its beautiful scenery and attractive houses built in local Cotswold stone. The area has many historic buildings, and tourism is the main industry. The Cotswolds extend from near Bath, in Avon; northeastward through Gloucestershire; nearly as far as Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire. The highest point is Cleeve Cloud, 1,083 feet (330 meters) above sea level. Cleeve is near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on the range's western edge. Most of the Cotswolds are rolling hills.)From Stratford to Bath and OxfordThe Cotswolds stretch from Stratford upon Avon in the north to Bath in the south. From Gloucester in the west to Oxford in the east, the rolling hills are full of story book English villages. And we have added Shakespeare at Stratford upon Avon, the dreaming spires and colleges at Oxford and the Georgian city of Bath. Heritage of ScotlandRobert Burns was Scotland's greatest poet and many would say that he was the world's greatest ever poet.Burns was born at Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland on 25 January 1759 and died in Dumfries on 21 July 1796. In less than 37 years of life he accomplished more than most people do in a normal lifetimeSome of his work, such as Auld Lang Syne (The good old days) is among the most familiar and best-loved songs and poems in the English languageScotland My Love is like a Red, Red Rose Burns0, my love is like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June. 0, my love is like a melody, that's sweetly play'd in tune.As fair thou art, my bonnie lass, so deep in love am I, And I will love thee still, my dear, till a' the seas gang dry.Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt wi' the sun! And I will love thee still, my dear, while the sands of life shall run.And fare thee well, my only love! And fare thee well awhile! And I will come again, my love. Tho it were ten thousand mile!ScotlandBURNS NIGHTIt is celebrated on January, 25th, the birthday of Robert BurnsIn the evening people eat typical Scottish food, such as “Haggis” (a special kind of sausage in a sheep’s stomach) and drink whisky while bagpipes music is playedand some of Burn’s poems are read aloud.Chapter 8 Crime & the PoliceA 4 The Causes of Crime土A 6 The PoliceThe Metropolitan Police Force – 1828 by Sir Robert Peel. Headquarters at Scotland Yard. Bobby, nickname for a British policeman.Home Secretary responsible for the Met.The Metropolitan Police Force is the main law-enforcement agency in the Capital and the biggest police force in the country, employing over 35,000 people.There are other police forces in London - the City of London Police, the British Transport Police and the Royal Parks Constabulary - but the Met is the main player Metropolitan Police ServiceA 6 The PoliceWhat are their responsibilities?The Met Police are responsible for policing the majority of Greater London. The basic street-level policing of London is carried out by Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs), which Londoners will recognise as their local police force. The Met also undertakes many national tasks, like protection of royalty and the Capital's diplomatic community, as well as having certain counter-terrorism duties.The Two Branches of the Local PoliceThe uniformed branch who patrol on foot or by car and whose uniform is easily recognised; navy-blue suits and distinctive shaped helmetsThe plainclothes police, who investigate serious crime, and are known as the CID (Criminal Investigation Department)A 6 The PoliceThe Role of the PoliceThe police may be seen as having two roles in society, each with a different emphasis and image.Maintenance of order - where the police provides a service to the community. A ServiceThis is known as community policing and requires the cooperation of the local community and favours an image of the local ‘bobby on the beat’ who is known and recognised by the public in a particular area.).Law enforcement - where the police are considered as a force with a primary function of enforcing the criminal law. A ForceA 6 The PolicePolice Powers & LimitationsPolice officers are normally unarmed, but they do carry a truncheon (short thick club). In Northern Ireland police officers carry firearms for their protection, but this is seen as unusual circumstances.can stop and search people on the street⋯ if they suspect a person is carrying stolen goods or offensive weapons which may be used for burglary or other offences. ⋯ can arrest suspects with a warrant from the local magistrate and for serious offences such as murder or kidnapping a suspect can be arrested without a warrant.Suspects rights are protected in various ways –Detention, treatment and questioningChargingBailA 6 The PoliceRights of the suspectto have someone outside the police station told of his/her arrestto consult a solicitorMoreover, a suspect in custody should notbe forced to answer questions — they have the right to remain silent (N.B. Recent changes in the law have meant that silence under police questioning may be interpreted negatively by a jury, i.e. as a sign of guilt.)be forced to make a statement against their willbe induced to make a statement by means of threats or by being promised something, such as bail, for instance.A 6 The PoliceCode of Practice.Citizens are allowed to complain about the conduct of any police officer and any wrongful treatment they may have had from the action of the policeTo ensure a thorough and independent investigation of any such complaint the Independent Police Complaints Authority supervises any such inquiry.Police officers breaking the law in the course of their duty can be prosecuted and even dismissed from the forceThe discipline codes are designed to prevent abuse of power and to maintain public confidence in police impartiality.Chapter 9 Justice and the LawA 1 Introduction – Basic Principles of English LawBasic principles of English law:The Rule of LawNatural Law andNatural JusticeThe Rule of Law is an aspect of the British Constitution.It involves:The rights of individuals are determined by legal rules and not the arbitrary behaviour of authorities.There can be no punishment unless a court decides there has been a breach of law. Everyone, regardless of your position in society, is subject to the law.A 1 Introduction –Basic Principles of English Law contNatural Law: A system of universal moral and ethical principles that are inherent in human nature and that people can discover by using their natural intelligence (e.g., murder is wrong; parents are responsible for the acts of their minor children)Natural Law is higher than Man-made law.Natural Justice -- where there are no other guidelines legal decisions should conform to what the courts can deduce as natural law. It is a reflection of prevailing moral view of society.Basic principlesThe rule of law----everybody is subject to the law----laws must not be arbitrary----a person is innocent until proven guiltyNatural law----a law is higher than a man-made lawNatural justice----reflection of the prevailing moral view of the societyA 1 Introduction – Sources of British LawCommon Law (The system of laws originated and developed in England and based on court decisions, on the doctrines implicit in those decisions, and on customs and usages rather than on codified written laws.) – decided by judges, their decisions in cases after considering the customs and practices of the people involved. This kind of law has evolved long before Parliament became the main law-making body. Statute Law (A law established by legislative enactment.) – made by Parliament Case Law (Law based on judicial decision and precedent rather than on statutes.) – has evolved through decisions in actual trialsEuropean Union lawA 1 The Supremacy of ParliamentParliament can pass, repeal and alter any of Britain’s laws. This is one of the major powers that a government has .Parliament also has the power – after going through its own parliamentary processes – of altering its own laws.In theory there is nobody that can declare a law passed by Parliament as unconstitutionalBut decisions of the European Court must be accepted in UK.A 1 Introduction -- Two branches of lawCivil law -- defines and enforces the duties or obligations of persons to one another. (The body of laws of a state or nation dealing with the rights of private citizens.) Criminal law -- by contrast, defines and enforces the obligations of persons to society as a whole. (Law that deals with crimes and their punishments.)CourtscontMagistrates’ CourtThe overwhelming majority of the public who come into contact with the court system will do so with the Magistrates’ court,and there are more than 700 magistrates’courts in England and Wales. It is rare for the sort of cases dealt with in these courts to grab the nation’s attention,or hit the headlines. However, these courtsare a vital cog in the wheel of justice, and nearly all of the UK’s criminals will passthrough their doors.Courts contThe Crown CourtThe Crown Court deals with all indictable cases,which are serious offences triable before a judge and jury,and these include murder, rape, serious assault, kidnapping, conspiracy, fraud, armed robbery,and Official Secrets Act offences. These offences cannot be tried at the magistrates’ court.Courtscont••The High Court•The High Court is a civil court and has the authority to hear any civil case in England and Wales. It handles everything from libel and litigation to shipping cases and divorce. Along with the Court of Appeal, it is based at the gothic building of the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand,London, butalso sits at 26 towns around the country.CourtscontCourt of appealIf a convicted person feels he or she has not had a fair trial in the Crown Court/High Court and has been wrongfully convicted,or that the sentence imposed by the judges is unfair,then he or she can take their case to the Court of Appeal,where more senior judges will consider the merits of their case.Potential or Possible Advantages of the Jury SystemThe system is the chief bulwark of the common man against abuse by the state or by individual members of the legal system.It gives the public a part to play in the legal process and makes the ordinary people gain a sense of involvement.Jurors usually have more first-hand qualification than any judge to form a valid opinion upon facts connected with the daily life of ordinary people.The system ensures that the judgment of guilt or innocence is made by the accused’s equals, not by a judge whom many will see as being out of touch with ordinary people and no better at making judgments about facts.Potential or Possible Disadvantages of the Jury SystemJurors may have a lot of difficulty following arguments and/or evidence in a complex case.Evidence shows that gender or race discrimination and prejudice still exist among some jurors.Juries are likely to be influenced by one dominant personality among their members and also, by the impression they pick up from the judge’s summing-up, rather than solely from the facts presented to them during the hearing.Jurors are more easily swayed by emotional witnesses’ accounts or barristers’appeals, and sometimes do not pay as much regard to facts or documentary evidence as expected.In which court or tribunal would you expect the following cases to be heard? ShopliftingDrunken behaviourMurderBank robberyCompany fraudDivorceVandalism (depends upon seriousness)In which court or tribunal would you expect the following cases to be heard? Shoplifting Magistrates’ CourtDrunken behaviour Magistrates’ CourtMurder Crown CourtBank robbery Crown CourtCompany fraud Crown CourtDivorce County Court/High CourtVandalism (depends upon seriousness) Magistrates Court/Crown CourtChapter 10 BeliefsThe Reformation (A 16th-century movement in Western Europe that aimed at reforming some doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches)Immediate Causes• Merchant wealth challenged the church.• German and English nobility disliked Italian domination of the Church. • The Church’s great political power and wealth caused conflict.• Church corruption and the sale of the indulgences (The remission of temporal punishment still due for a sin that has been sacramentally absolved.) were widespread and caused conflict.The ReformersMartin Luther• Believed in salvation by faith alone• Posted the 95 theses• Led the movement that gave birth to the ProtestantChurchJohn Calvin• Believed in predestination• Expanded Protestant movementKing Henry VIII• Dismissed authority of the popes in Rome• Divorced, broke with the Catholic ChurchFormed the Church of EnglandImmediate ResultsEnglandElizabeth I–ended bloodshed–united British Isles under the Anglican Church.Rise of Reformation contributed to the growth of capitalismLong-Term ResultsChanging cultural values and traditionsGrowth of secularismGrowth of individualismGrowth of religious toleranceWhat are the major differences between the Catholic and Protestant Churches? Catholic⊂power and authority of the Pope as head of the Church in setting rules of moral conduct emphasis on ritualeducation of children into the faithimportance of Virgin MaryProtestant⊂more individualistic attitude generallyimportance of individual conscience in relationship to Godless formal services of worship.Chapter 11 WelfareA1 Development of “Welfare State”1. Definition of Poverty1.1 Absolute Poverty – families without minimum food, clothing and shelter needed for maintenance of merely physical health (concept at beginning of last century) 1.2 Relative Poverty – Despite adequate income for survival, people who do not have what is regarded as minimum necessary for decency and who cannot escape judgment that they are indecent can be labeled as poor.What is a ‘Welfare State’?It can be defined as ‘a state with a government which assumes responsibility for the well-being of its citizens throughout life, through a range of interventions in the market economy’. The welfare state would aim to offer its citizens a life with certain specified standards of living which it considers reasonable and possible for all, and protection against the unexpected hazards of life (for example, losing a job, becoming sick, having an accident).These days resources for welfare are raised through National Insurance contributions (which are paid by all people in work) and general taxation (which is paid by all people in work above a certain level of income). There is also a Value Added Tax (VAT) which is included in the price of many goods and services.Aims of the post-World War II welfare legislationThe most radical and widespread reforms occurred after the Second World War in 1945. The measures introduced then were based upon a famous document, the Beveridge Report of 1942.Lord William Henry Beveridge, 1879-1963A3 WELFARE IN BRITAIN — THE PRESENTThe three main areas of welfare provision in Britain are health, housing and social securityThe post-war welfare structure has always been a combination of public and private provisionFrom the 1980s those who could afford had been encouraged to provide for their own health and retirement by paying into private insurance schemes.Chapter 12 Domestic EconomyA 4 The Mixed Economy contNationalizationthe acquisition of private companies by the public sectorPrivatizationthe return of state enterprises to private ownership and controlA 4 The Mixed Economy contWhy nationalise?The post-war Labour government was elected on a socialist manifesto (see also Chapter 11 ‘Welfare’), which promised more political control over the major public utilities so that their development could be guided in the public interest rather than simply for private profitThose industries which were nationalised had managing directors appointed by the government and, whilst they were left to run their own affairs on a day-to-day basis, they were accountable to the government concerning more long-term policy.A 4 The Mixed Economy contReasons for nationalizationNatural monopolyExternalitiese.g. subsidizing public transport (London Underground) may be a second-best option to road pricing.Equity or distributional consequencese.g. protecting transport in rural areasCo-ordinating a networke.g. British Rail could have an overview of the whole rail systemA 4 the Mixed EconomyWhy privatize?The main argument used by the ‘privatizers’ is that nationalized industries are。
