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Just to show this phrase in context: > It is not the first time the public in the ethnically divided country, which is plagued by tribal separatist movements i

by smcl 5y ago

Just to show this phrase in context: > It is not the first time the public in the ethnically divided country, which is plagued by tribal separatist movements in the regions of Scotland and Northern Ireland, is being fleeced by its politicians So I think this is parodying the way the UK (and the "developed" world in general) often talk about current events in South and Central America or Africa - being very dismissive, usually boiling complex conflicts down to simple tribalism and painting the country in broad, inaccurate strokes. I suppose you could maaaybe talk about Scots, English, Irish and Welsh as separate "ethnicities" but as someone who identifies as one of those, I would describe them as "nationalities". That is based purely on gut-feel though, maybe I'm just squeamish about drawing hard lines and bringing potentially charged terms like "ethnicity" into some discussions.

kybernetikos 5y ago
> bringing potentially charged terms like "ethnicity" into some discussions. But as you say, I think this is the point of the article isn't it? People in the west are squeamish about using those terms in their own backyard but are often much less squeamish about using those terms when talking about places far away.
pjc50 5y ago
The violent suppression of minority languages and religions would count as "ethnic cleansing" in a 21st century perspective, but the UK (and for that matter France etc) did it before it became really unpopular. The use of the Irish language is still a bit of a flashpoint in NI.
- smcl 5y ago
  I guess you’re right, come to think of it things like Highland Clearances might be thought of the same way. But about “ethnicity” I just think that right now if you walked up to people in the street in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff or Befast asking about their ethnicity I reckon you’re more likely to get a mix of skin colour or religion or something than nationality as a response. And it would be fuzzy and mixed enough that you wouldn’t be able to point out the various ethnic lines if this were somehow plotted on a map. So ethnically diverse? Definitely. Ethnically divided? Eh I’m not so sure.

by smcl 5y ago

kybernetikos 5y ago

> bringing potentially charged terms like "ethnicity" into some discussions. But as you say, I think this is the point of the article isn't it? People in the west are squeamish about using those terms in their own backyard but are often much less squeamish about using those terms when talking about places far away.

pjc50 5y ago

The violent suppression of minority languages and religions would count as "ethnic cleansing" in a 21st century perspective, but the UK (and for that matter France etc) did it before it became really unpopular. The use of the Irish language is still a bit of a flashpoint in NI.

smcl 5y ago
I guess you’re right, come to think of it things like Highland Clearances might be thought of the same way. But about “ethnicity” I just think that right now if you walked up to people in the street in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff or Befast asking about their ethnicity I reckon you’re more likely to get a mix of skin colour or religion or something than nationality as a response. And it would be fuzzy and mixed enough that you wouldn’t be able to point out the various ethnic lines if this were somehow plotted on a map. So ethnically diverse? Definitely. Ethnically divided? Eh I’m not so sure.