Inhalt
1) GREAT BRITAIN
a) History
b) Britain nowaday
c) Political System
d) Brexit
e) Magna Carta, Bill of Rights
f) Lingua Franca
g) Common Wealth
2) INDIA
a) Gandhi and his non-violent resistance
3) EU
a) Institutions
b) Immigration
4) ENVIRONMENT
a) Global Warming vs. Climate change
b) Greenhouse effect
c) pollution
d) Solution of pollution
5) USA
a) Constitution
b) Bill of rights
c) Political System
d) Slavery
e) Minority
f) American Dream
g) Black Lives Matter
h) Illegal Immigrants, Hispanics
i) Gun problem, gun lobby
j) Donald Trump
6) TECHNOLOGY / MEDIA / WORLD OF WORK
a) Consumerism
b) Throwaway society
7) GLOBALISATION
a) Americanization
b) Culture
c) Communication
,1) BRITAIN
a) History
The British Empire:
- The saying “The sun never sets on the British Empire” comes from a time when the Empire
covered so much of the world that at least one part of it was always in daylight.
- In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal and Spain were the first nations to explore the globe
and establish overseas colonies
- After colonial wars and especially after the subjugation of the Indian subcontinent in the
middle of the 18th century and the victory over France in the Napoleonic wars in 1815,
Britain emerged as the principal naval and imperial power
- American Independence in 1783 meant that the British overseas focused on Asia, Africa
and the Pacific instead
- During its peak time (Queen Victoria reign), the British Empire covered almost one fourth
of the world´s land area
- The handing over of Hong Kong to China is often seen as the official and of the British
Empire
-Many of Britain’s former colonies are now members of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Furthermore, the legacy of the British Empire lives on in many of its former subject states´
political, legal and cultural organizations, as well as in the fact that English is a global
language (more than 370 million native speaker worldwide)
- Advantage: wealth and power for Britain
- Disadvantage: natives lost their land, were treated as second-class citizen in their own
country
b) Britain nowadays
Britain´s role in the world today
- Members and aims of the Commonwealth: 53 members, Queen head of Commonwealth,
human rights, freedom, governmental organization, peace, free trade
- Standing from people from the former colonies: British Commonwealth citizens until 1960
- Special relationship GB and USA: special of common language, culture, history and high
cooperation in industry, NATO Partners worked together in War
- relationship GB and EU: quite ambivalent as there are many Eurosceptics but there are also
many Europhiles, too
Britishness:
- According to popular belief attitudes like fairness, moderation and reserve, politeness
- the governmental position names values like democracy, individual liberty and tolerance
- As Britishness is often seen as synonyms with Englishness
- both Scottish and Welsh as well as ethnic minorities might feel discriminated
, Immigration:
Motives for immigration in the UK
• Some came because they were attracted by the higher standard of living (education,
better job, welfare system etc.)
• (1950s to 70s) Mass immigration from Commonwealth countries (India, Pakistan, or
the Caribbean) to work in the UK to overcome labour shortages
• Racial discrimination and persecution in own country (like the Indians and Pakistanis
from Kenya) -> a lot of people fled war and terror after becoming independent and
the partition of British Indian Empire in India and Pakistan in 1947
• Quite a lot, for example the Indians, had served during WW2 in the British army and
then settled down in Britain
• In the 21st century many people from Eastern Europe have come to work in the UK
-> Integration, not assimilation
▪ Government aims at improving immigrant’s employment prospects and skills
▪ The idea is that Integration is important but does not mean complete assimilation
➔ Assimilation “melting pot”: completely blend into different culture, become part of it
and loose own identity (unlikely to happen)
➔ Integration “salad bowl”: interact with majority in host culture, partly adjust but
keep elements of own culture -> two-way progress (country and person adapt)
c) Political System
- The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system
- Monarch is head of state (Queen Elisabeth II), no real power, symbol of national unity
-> actual power is in the hands of Government and the Parliament
- Prime Minister is head of government (Boris Johnson, bevor Theresa May)
