The Nations of Britain

Is Britain one nation, or many? Is it a nation with more than a thousand years of history, or 'an invented nation', only as old as the 1707 union of England and Scotland? Is devolution in Scotland and Wales a step towards the eventual break-up of Britain? And today, what does it mean to be British? The Nations of Britain offers an up-to-date analysis of these questions, drawing on sociology, politics, history and cultural studies to give a thorough account of the national relationships that constitute modern Britain. The book is divided into sections focusing on Scotland, Wales and England, and also on the legacy of Empire, the British relationship with Ireland, Europe and the Commonwealth, and the future of the British union. In each of these sections, recurrent themes such as cultural identity, multiculturalism, economy, politics and civil society are explored. The book examines different conceptions of England, Wales, Scotland and Britain, and argues that Britain will continue to accommodate national and cultural differences while itself remaining a nation. Constitutionally, today's asymetrical devolution could lead to the break- up of Britain, but it is more likely to evolve into an asymmetrical federalism. This book will be a valuable resource for students and teachers of British politics, sociology and contemporary history, and for other readers interested in the future of Britain.

1. Introduction: Thinking about the Union and its Future. 2. Great Britain: The Post-Imperial Dilemma. 3. Claiming Scotland. 4. Voicing Wales. 5. Speaking for England. 6. The English Regions: Who Cares?. 7. Britain: Relating to Others. 8. Conclusion: Britain and the Future.

Christopher Bryant is Professor of Sociology in the European Studies Research Institute at the University of Salford. He has published extensively on sociological theory and political sociology, the latter with particular reference to Britain and Europe. he has served on the editorial boards of The British Journal of Sociology and International Sociology and is currently a member of the advisory boards of the Polish Sociological Review and the Center for Social Studies in Warsaw.

The Nations of Britain is perhaps the best guide that has so far been written to the problems raised by asymmetrical devolution. It succeeds in synthesising not only the sociological but also the vast historical and political science literature on national relationships within the UK. It will prove of value not only to the student but to anyone seeking to understand how we are now governed. It is an outstanding work.