Contesting Culture Discourses of Identity in Multi-ethnic London [Paperback]

A vivid 1996 ethnographic account of an aspect of contemporary British life, and a challenge to the conventional discourse of community studies.This vivid, ethnographic account of immigrant groups living in West London considers how people from different backgrounds come to terms with one another and with the dominant, host culture, while at the same time affirming their own ethnic distinctiveness.This vivid, ethnographic account of immigrant groups living in West London considers how people from different backgrounds come to terms with one another and with the dominant, host culture, while at the same time affirming their own ethnic distinctiveness.In a vivid, ethnographic account of immigrant groups living in West London, Gerd Baumann breaks with the conventional discourse of community studies to explore their mutual interaction. By treating Southall--the most densely populated, multi-ethnic ghetto in the London area--as a social field, he considers how people from different backgrounds come to terms with one another and with the dominant, host culture, while at the same time affirming their own ethnic distinctiveness.1. Introduction: the proceeds of research; 2. The argument; 3. A shared Southall culture?; 4. The dominant discourse applied: 'self-evident' communities of culture; 5. The dominant discourse denied: community as creation, culture as process; 6. 'Culture' and 'community' as terms of cultural contestation; 7. Conclusion. ...provides an important...view of identity formation, stressing its instrumental function over other aspects of identity production and negotiation. Kathleen Hall, Religious Studies Review ...this book provides one of the better starting points for discussions of ethnicity in contemporary Europe. David Beriss, H-Net Reviews