National and Regional Idenity

Representations of national identity are often reinforced and embedded in our culture. Our own identity is often defined by our difference in relation to other nations. Our perception of other nations is often stereotypical character traits.

‘Essex girls’ are represented in news articles and television comedy programmes as having a lack of intelligence and low moral standards. In the TV programme, The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE),  Essex girls are show to be "bimbos" and to only care for their looks and males. They are also seen as bitchy and catty.
 The opening scenes for the introduction proves my point further as glasses of champagne, make up and diamonds are thrown around the screen thus further giving the audience the impression what both females, and males in this instance, in this programme are interested in and what their world revolves around.

Another example of this is Made In Chelsea which represents the lifestyles of those living in the "posh" part of London, in particular Chelsea and Fulham. The opening scenes of the intro give the audience an insight into the type of lifestyle that the young and the rich live. We see expensive brands and fast cars. In comparison to TOWIE, the characters of this programme have inherited this money suggesting they all come from a background of wealth, again giving the impression of the type of lifestyle Londoners live in comparison to Essex.


Geordie Shore is another example of how those from Newcastle are represented. This show suggests that all young people from Newcastle do is drink, engage in sexual activity and eat junk food.

National identity is a complex issue – people may disagree about what makes a national identity or that it exists at all!

Other factors may also be related to identity – Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Religion, Class and Sexuality. These make the concept of a national identity even more complicated.

This is also complicated by the idea of Regional Identity as well.

Regional Examples:

•Scouse (Liverpool) identity

•Geordie (Newcastle) identity

•Essex boy/girl (Essex) Identity

•Yorkshireman (Yorkshire) Identity

National Examples:

•Scottish (Scotland) identity

•Welsh (Wales) identity

•English (England) Identity

•Northern Irish (Northern Ireland)

•British (all of the above)