This is the first book to examine the relationship between English nationalism, Brexit and ‘the Anglosphere’ – a politically-contested term used to denote English-speaking countries sharing cultural and historical roots with the UK.
In the aftermath of the UK’s EU referendum some pointed to a ‘revolt’ of those ‘left behind’ by globalisation. Ben Wellings argues instead that Brexit was and is an elite project, firmly situated within the tradition of an expansive English nationalism. Far from being parochial ‘Little Englanders’, elite Brexiteers sought to replace the European Union with trade and security alliances between ‘true friends’ and ‘traditional allies’ in the Anglosphere. Brexit was thus reassuringly presented as a giant leap into the known. As the UK’s future relationship with the rest of the world is negotiated, the need to understand this ‘English moment’ has never been more pressing.
Table of Content
1 Introduction: English nationalism, Euroscepticism and the Anglosphere
Part I: Discovering England
2 England’s dilemmas: national questions in a global era
3 Locating England: national traditions and political dilemmas
Part II: Three pillars of the English Anglosphere
4 Gift to the world: England’s shared exceptionalism
5 Greater Britain: England’s wider categories of belonging
6 Great wars: England and the defence of British sovereignty
Part III: England’s Brexit and the Anglosphere
7 Leap into the known: the Anglosphere, England and the Brexit referendum
8 Taking back control: global Britain and Brexit England
9 Conclusion: Brexit as English nationalism
Index
About the author
Richard Hayton is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Leeds
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