Robert C. Thomsen

As witnessed during the very close 2014 referendum on Scottish independence and during the 2016 referendum on British EU membership, sub-state national identities in Britain remain strong and increasingly challenge the idea of a United Kingdom. In Britain Today, topics and key subjects are chosen to reflect the most important social, political, and cultural issues in Britain today, with a focus on those that Scandinavian lecturers and students will find particularly important and engaging. This thoroughly revised second edition includes two new chapters on Socio-Economic Structures and Stratification and on Britain and the European Union. Topics and key subjects are chosen to reflect the most important social, political, and cultural issues in Britain today, with a focus on those that Scandinavian lecturers and students will find particularly important and engaging. Avoiding overly descriptive approaches, the book provides introductions to prominent ideas, social, political, and cultural critique and responses, all of contemporary relevance. In addition to providing the necessary basic and factual information, the book and its homepage suggest student assignments, topics for presentations and essays, and literature for further reading. The chapters of the book are organized thematically and arranged in balanced and substantial modules. This means that each chapter can stand alone and need not be read or taught as part of a particular sequence. This allows lecturers to easily design a course on the basis of Britain Today according to their own preferences or curricular demands. On the book's website http://britaintoday.hansreitzel.dk/, you can find assignments, relevant links and suggestions for further reading.