Racism, tolerance and identity : responses to black and Asian migration into Britain in the national and local press, 1948-72
This thesis explores the response of national and local newspapers to issues of race and black and Asian immigration in Britain between 1948 and 1972. Scholars have highlighted the importance of concepts of race, identity and belonging in shaping responses to immigration, but have not yet explained the complex ways in which these ideas are disseminated and interpreted in popular culture. The thesis analyses the complex role newspapers had in mediating debates surrounding black and Asian immigration for public consumption. By engaging with concepts of race and tolerance, newspapers communicated anxieties about the shape British culture and society would take in the postwar years. Their popularity granted them opportunities to lead attitudes towards black and Asian people and multiculturalism. The influences of social, political and cultural developments on both the national and local level meant newspapers often adopted limited definitions tolerance which failed to combat racism. In other cases, newspapers actively encouraged racist definitions of belonging which privileged their largely white audiences. In order to understand newspapersâ engagement with concepts of race and identity, this thesis analyses
Young, Matthew
Racism, tolerance and identity : responses to black and Asian migration into Britain in the national and local press, 1948-72. This thesis explores the response of national and local newspapers to issues of race and black and Asian immigration in Britain between 1948 and 1972. Scholars have highlighted the importance of concepts of race, identity and belonging in shaping responses to immigration, but have not yet explained the complex ways in which these ideas are disseminated and interpreted in popular culture. The thesis analyses the complex role newspapers had in mediating debates surrounding black and Asian immigration for public consumption. By engaging with concepts of race and tolerance, newspapers communicated anxieties about the shape British culture and society would take in the postwar years. Their popularity granted them opportunities to lead attitudes towards black and Asian people and multiculturalism. The influences of social, political and cultural developments on both the national and local level meant newspapers often adopted limited definitions tolerance which failed to combat racism. In other cases, newspapers actively encouraged racist definitions of belonging which privileged their largely white audiences. In order to understand newspapersâ engagement with concepts of race and identity, this thesis analyses
racism tolerance identity response black asian migration britain national_local press explores response national_local newspaper issue race black asian immigration britain scholars highlight_importance concept race identity belong shape response immigration yet explain complex way idea disseminate interpreted popular_culture analysis complex role newspaper mediate debate_surround black asian immigration public consumption engage concept race tolerance newspaper communicate anxiety shape british culture society would take postwar year popularity grant opportunity lead attitude_towards black asian people multiculturalism influence social_political cultural_development national_local level meant newspaper often adopt limited definition tolerance fail combat racism case newspaper actively encourage racist definition belong privilege largely white audience order newspaper engagement concept race identity analysis