Two years ago my best friend visited London for her spring break. Of course I was interested and wanted to know all about her trip. She said it was great but said it was a little different than what she had expected. Basically, what she was saying was that there was a very strong middle eastern influence.
Before I left my brother mentioned the same thing. He said I would be surprised because London’s demographics had changed a lot over the past few decades.
When I arrived in London, it didn’t take long for me realize that they were right. Muslim flyers are posted all around Imperial’s campus, I saw women wearing head coverings everywhere, Gaza demonstrations were on every block, and we even took a field trip to a mosque.
Don’t get me wrong- this isn’t a bad thing at all. But it’s plain to see that Muslim and middle eastern culture has greatly affected London in the 20th century.
I did some research and Islam, the predominant religion in the middle east, is the fastest growing religion in Great Britain. For a religion to be thriving now, when Britain is considered to be increasingly secular, says a lot about the religion and its followers. Not only has it grown within the 20th century, but it has grown immensely within the last 60 years. In 1945 there was only one mosque in Britain. By 1960 there were eighty and by 1976 there were 200 mosques in Great Britain.
This vast amount of immigration and Muslim influence has affected politics and culture in many ways. One example is Slumdog Millionaire, a recent film that won all kinds of awards. It storyline was based on the Muslim faith. Also, as far as politics go, Muslim education has recently been brought up as an issue. The government now funds a small fraction of public Muslim schools.
Also, job opportunities have changed as well. It seems as if the British are experiencing the same kind of frustration about job losses due to immigration as Americans are. Many jobs are going to the Muslim immigrants whereas in America many jobs are going to Mexican immigrants. This will be something the government will have to learn to deal with.
As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s just a change of pace and structure within the British way of life.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tommy the Teddy
This weekend a friend and I visited the V&A Childhood Museum. It had collections of toys from the 16th century well into present day. I was delighted to see some of my favorite toys and to also learn the history of those toys. I also learned some about the 20th century through the toy collection.
I learned that during World War I toy factories were shut down so that goods for the war could be manufactured. With this halt in toy making, people began to make their own homemade toys. Newspapers even helped this endeavor by printing guides and patterns on how to make dolls, teddy bears, and many other toys. During the war, soldiers, while in the trenches, would also make toys either to sell for food and other goods or for their children back home. The museum held a wooden puppet a soldier had made for his children.
By visiting the museum two things struck me. For one, the endurance of toys. With all the mass production of toys these days, I couldn’t imagine being a little girl and having to make toys for myself. But they seem to be a necessity. Which leads me to the second thing; these toys that were made or maybe even bought had must have gotten children through the rough patches of the war as well as the years afterward when things were getting pieced back together.
There was a small teddy bear in the museum named Tommy. He sat no taller than 5 inches and was dated back to 1908. His owner donated him to the museum but continued to write his bear birthday cards every year until his death in 1997. Of course this story touched my heart. How sweet is it that an old man wrote birthday cards to his teddy bear? But with that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder the history of this toy. Tommy had gotten his owner through both world wars. He most definitely had sentimental value. He must have been vision of hope and comfort to his owner through those desolate times.
I learned that during World War I toy factories were shut down so that goods for the war could be manufactured. With this halt in toy making, people began to make their own homemade toys. Newspapers even helped this endeavor by printing guides and patterns on how to make dolls, teddy bears, and many other toys. During the war, soldiers, while in the trenches, would also make toys either to sell for food and other goods or for their children back home. The museum held a wooden puppet a soldier had made for his children.
By visiting the museum two things struck me. For one, the endurance of toys. With all the mass production of toys these days, I couldn’t imagine being a little girl and having to make toys for myself. But they seem to be a necessity. Which leads me to the second thing; these toys that were made or maybe even bought had must have gotten children through the rough patches of the war as well as the years afterward when things were getting pieced back together.
There was a small teddy bear in the museum named Tommy. He sat no taller than 5 inches and was dated back to 1908. His owner donated him to the museum but continued to write his bear birthday cards every year until his death in 1997. Of course this story touched my heart. How sweet is it that an old man wrote birthday cards to his teddy bear? But with that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder the history of this toy. Tommy had gotten his owner through both world wars. He most definitely had sentimental value. He must have been vision of hope and comfort to his owner through those desolate times.
Social Cohesion
I am currently studying to be a high school history teacher. Since I have been in college I have truly learned to appreciate the education I am receiving. Now, more than ever, and as a future educator, I’m realizing that education truly is the key to bettering life, not only on a personal level but also on a societal level as well.
For that reason I was pleased to hear about Britain’s policy of social cohesion in BLC lecture last week. The speaker was talking about how London keeps their museums free in order to keep social cohesion. Having never heard the term before, I thought it meant only to inspire the strengthening of society through education. I did my research, however, and learned it was much more .
There are five basic parts to it: material conditions, passive relationships, active relationships, inclusion, and equality. Keeping museums free fits best under the inclusion policy, which means including people and giving them a sense of belonging to a city as well as the strength of shared experiences, identities and values between those from different backgrounds.
This policy, of allowing free admission, began with London’s very first museums and strengthened throughout the twentieth century and has lasted well into the present.
I absolutely love this policy. By making museums free they are opening up educational opportunities to people of all ranks in society.
For that reason I was pleased to hear about Britain’s policy of social cohesion in BLC lecture last week. The speaker was talking about how London keeps their museums free in order to keep social cohesion. Having never heard the term before, I thought it meant only to inspire the strengthening of society through education. I did my research, however, and learned it was much more .
There are five basic parts to it: material conditions, passive relationships, active relationships, inclusion, and equality. Keeping museums free fits best under the inclusion policy, which means including people and giving them a sense of belonging to a city as well as the strength of shared experiences, identities and values between those from different backgrounds.
This policy, of allowing free admission, began with London’s very first museums and strengthened throughout the twentieth century and has lasted well into the present.
I absolutely love this policy. By making museums free they are opening up educational opportunities to people of all ranks in society.
Boulevard Culture
It’s a Thursday night and I’m finally getting in from work. I come home, grab a quick dinner and hop online to check my Facebook. I talk to my friends online some then decide to multi-task and shop while I’m online. My mom comes into the room and asks me what my plans are later. I tell her nothing- I’m tired, I haven’t made any plans plus there’s nothing to do out in town, and besides, all my friends are online so I can still be social without going out. My mom instantly becomes aggravated. “Marissa,” she says, “you need to go out and be seen!”
Ever since I can remember my mom has always had this kind of outlook. I’m different and think of going out as a more practical thing like when there’s a purpose or when I actually have plans to do something fun or productive. This is why when, in my Politics and Culture class, I heard about the “boulevard culture” of the 20th century I found myself so intrigued.
Boulevard culture is nothing more than going out just to see and be seen. It’s entire purpose is to people watch or give other people something to talk about. The idea at first seemed kind of crazy but the more I thought about it the more sense it made. People at this time didn’t have telephones readily available nor did they have access to Facebook. If they wanted to be social or have any contact with those outside of their families, this was how they did it. It had to have been a big event too. I can’t help but smile when I think about how it must have been for girls to plan out their outfits to wear just to walk down the street. It actually seems kind of fun. Also, I can’t help but wonder if their means of socializing are better than ours? Back then they actually had to work to be social not just connect to the internet or press the speed dial key on their cell phone. And we all know things that are worked for are also far more appreciated. Maybe my mom really does know what she’s talking about. : )
Ever since I can remember my mom has always had this kind of outlook. I’m different and think of going out as a more practical thing like when there’s a purpose or when I actually have plans to do something fun or productive. This is why when, in my Politics and Culture class, I heard about the “boulevard culture” of the 20th century I found myself so intrigued.
Boulevard culture is nothing more than going out just to see and be seen. It’s entire purpose is to people watch or give other people something to talk about. The idea at first seemed kind of crazy but the more I thought about it the more sense it made. People at this time didn’t have telephones readily available nor did they have access to Facebook. If they wanted to be social or have any contact with those outside of their families, this was how they did it. It had to have been a big event too. I can’t help but smile when I think about how it must have been for girls to plan out their outfits to wear just to walk down the street. It actually seems kind of fun. Also, I can’t help but wonder if their means of socializing are better than ours? Back then they actually had to work to be social not just connect to the internet or press the speed dial key on their cell phone. And we all know things that are worked for are also far more appreciated. Maybe my mom really does know what she’s talking about. : )
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