The Millennium Dome, London Overview Review Avatars In the Press Links

				British identity: Between the millennial spectacle and flaring nationalism Britain is divided in Domophobes and Greenwichians - even among the country's high representatives. While Tony Blair reads the Dome as a milestone for New Labour's visions and enthused, "the Dome should make us all proud of this nation's creativity and imagination," Prince Charles does not quite agree. He dismissed the £ 758 million Millennium Dome as a "monstrous blancmange" and a "crass waste of money." At the same time, a debate of flaring up English nationalism - typical for the globalization era, where internationalization revivals regional identity - touches Great Britain's image. Interviewed by the BBC, home secretary Jack Straw suggested, two parallel developments, the European Integration and the devolution in Great Britain, have start something dark and dangerous lurking in the heart of England. According to Straw, the potentially violent nature of English nationalism may come to be seen as a defining moment in the search for the modern sense of English identity. So - how is Britain presented in the Dome? Trying not to burn its fingers, the organizing team dropped the idea to stage a musical that would have celebrated British more than English values. The chosen alternative is the artistic "Millennium Show," in which performancers fly and dance to a Peter Gabriel soundtrack, but the millennial message remains blurred. A pleasant surprise are Elizabethan-age dressed singers that walk among the crowds and present traditional songs [ listen ]. The "Self Portrait Zone" comprises no serious reflection on Britain's domestic challenges. It rather whitewashes it in a higgledy-piggledy collage of images. 10.000 Britains were asked to nominate the things which best represent their country, which led to a neat and unproblematic mixture of pictures that illustrate Great Britain's identity: Diana and the Beatles, Doc Marten boots, country cottages and a bottle of Worcester sauce, among others. In addition, a panel has labeled heat-activated baby spoons, Teletubbies and bullet-proof life jackets as "official millennium products," which should represent the best of British innovation. >> Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 TOP
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