Images of Germany : a theory-based approach to the classification, analysis, and critique of British attitudes towards Germany, 1890-1940
The thesis attempts to set sources broadly representative of the range of British attitudes to Germany and the Germans - from Spender, Low, Maxse and Dillon, to Bowse, Namier, Vansittart, Gollancz and Barraclough in a framework informed by multidisciplinary theory. There are five main themes: the classification of attitudes; the analysis of content; the identification of a relatively constant British self-image; the potential for attitudinal dilemmas and cognitive dissonance inherent in that self-image; national character as a concept and as a descriptor. Although dealt with in this order the themes interrelate. For example, the first phase of content analysis [chapters 4 to 8], where the emphasis is on the way in which sources differ, anticipates the discussion in chapter 10 of the differences in their approaches to the modal distribution of cultural and individual characteristics in Germany; the classificatory model proposed as an alternative to the Idealist-Realist dichotomy in chapter 2 [and 'tested' in a brief case study in chapter 3] is consistent with the definition of the self-image and facilitates discussion on cognitive dissonance. It is proposed that a classificatory system based on an Idealist-Realist
MacIntyre, Duncan
DA Great Britain ; DD Germany
Images of Germany : a theory-based approach to the classification, analysis, and critique of British attitudes towards Germany, 1890-1940. The thesis attempts to set sources broadly representative of the range of British attitudes to Germany and the Germans - from Spender, Low, Maxse and Dillon, to Bowse, Namier, Vansittart, Gollancz and Barraclough in a framework informed by multidisciplinary theory. There are five main themes: the classification of attitudes; the analysis of content; the identification of a relatively constant British self-image; the potential for attitudinal dilemmas and cognitive dissonance inherent in that self-image; national character as a concept and as a descriptor. Although dealt with in this order the themes interrelate. For example, the first phase of content analysis [chapters 4 to 8], where the emphasis is on the way in which sources differ, anticipates the discussion in chapter 10 of the differences in their approaches to the modal distribution of cultural and individual characteristics in Germany; the classificatory model proposed as an alternative to the Idealist-Realist dichotomy in chapter 2 [and 'tested' in a brief case study in chapter 3] is consistent with the definition of the self-image and facilitates discussion on cognitive dissonance. It is proposed that a classificatory system based on an Idealist-Realist
images germany theory based classification analysis critique british_attitude towards germany attempt set source broadly representative range british_attitude germany germans low framework inform multidisciplinary theory five_main theme classification attitude analysis content identification relatively constant british self_image potential attitudinal dilemma cognitive inherent self_image national_character concept although dealt order theme interrelate example first_phase content analysis emphasis way source differ anticipate discussion difference approach modal distribution cultural individual characteristic germany classificatory model_propose alternative idealist realist dichotomy tested brief case_study consistent definition self_image facilitates discussion cognitive propose classificatory_system base idealist realist