Dear Editor,

I CAME across an interesting piece of research from Michael Skey, lecturer in Media and Culture at the University of East Anglia, dated January 2014 regarding flags.

Mr Skey’s research study was looking at symbols of nationhood in three areas: Cardiff, Saffron Walden and East Ham in London.

In relation to Britain’s attitude towards flags it says on page 279:

“It’s also worth noting that overt displays of nationality have generally been treated with suspicion in Britain, notably by the majority English. For instance, the display and waving of British flags outside a narrow range of carefully managed mass rituals (royal weddings, military parades, sporting events) was seen to be anathema or the preserve of extremist groups. 

Paradoxically, this has meant that British ‘superiority’ has long been defined by an apparent ‘agnosticism towards nationalism‘ (Kumar, 2000: 577), which has been favourably contrasted with the uncontrollable passions of ‘other’ groups.”

Then follows a paragraph concerning more recent trends relating to  devolution, growing ethnic diversity and its related debates about multiculturalism and community cohesion “producing a response among the ethnic majority, which has sometimes manifested itself in more aggressive displays of national markers (Skey, 2010)…”

To summarize the history of attitudes of flags in Britain Skey goes on to say:

“Given the complexity of the British socio-political landscape and the earlier comments about the visibility of flags in different national settings, Britain, as a multinational state with an increasingly diverse population and an ambivalent relationship with overt displays of nationalism (compared with say the USA or Sweden) would seem to be a particularly interesting case study for a project such as this.”

Consequently, this research proves what many of us already instinctively know: that the recent proliferation of flags is a cultural aberration in this country.

This leads me to believe we must collectively oppose the far-right and their flag mania. In this regard USDAW’s deputy regional secretary Phil Waite, Harlow Labour Group Leader James Griggs and councillor Kay Morrison are giving me some hope. Well done Kay, Phil and James.

NOTES: 

1. Research on Flags: 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282483537_’Mindless_Markers_of_the_Nation’_The_Routine_Flagging_of_Nationhood_Across_the_Visual_Environment

Regards,

David Forman