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 to 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. It examines different conceptions of Britain, Scotland, Wales and England in relation to history and cultural identity, ethnicity and multiculturalism, and economy, politics and civil society, and it argues that Britain can continue to accommodate national and cultural differences whilst still remaining a nation. Constitutionally today's asymmetrical devolution could lead to the break-up of Britain but is more likely to evolve into an asymmetrical federalism."--BOOK JACKET.