This document discusses regional identity and stereotypes in the United Kingdom. It begins by defining regional identity as being connected to both the country and region one lives in, on a smaller scale than national identity. It then lists common stereotypes associated with different regions of the UK, such as Scots being money-obsessed and drinkers, Welsh people living rurally and being rugby fans, and Northerners being poorer and more working class than Southerners. The document encourages analyzing these stereotypes and considering where they come from and how individuals may subvert them.

1. REGIONAL IDENTITY
To understand regional identity
To identify some regional
stereotypes
To analyse these stereotypes
through the micro elements

2. Regional Identity refers to the part of the
United Kingdom someone is from. It could
refer to a general area such a north or south

3. Or country such as “English” or “Scottish”
or specific towns such as “London” or
“Manchester.”

4. Regional identity is the notion that part of
a person's identity is rooted not only in the
country but also in the region they live in.

5. Regional identity is a sense of belonging
similar to that of national identity but on a
smaller scale or level.

6. Activity

7. Scottish – often shown as being money
obsessed, won’t pay for anything, drinks a
lot of alcohol, loves the outdoors, wears
kilts, eats haggis, quite aggressive and

8. Welsh – Often shown as living in the middle
of the countryside, comically simplistic and
rugby fans. Symbols such as a leek, dragon
or daffodils are associated with the country.

9. Irish – often shown as living in the
countryside, working in rural areas such as
farms, being very religious, being good at
dancing and singing, very friendly but less

10. Essex – often shown as being glamourous
but cheap, footballer’s wives, lots of
partying, being quite stupid

11. Yorkshire – Often shown as living in rural
countryside, with rolling hills and cobbled
streets, being quite old fashioned

12. Cornwall / Somerset – Often shown as
being “backwards”, living in rural areas,
working on farms

13. Manchester / Newcastle / Liverpool –
Often shown as being “chavs”, wearing fake
designer labels, or tracksuits, drinking a lot,
being aggressive, uneducated, criminals

14. London – There are 2 main stereotypes of
Londoners. One is that they are often
shown as being rich, posh, snobby, upper
class, Hugh Grant types from central or west

15. The other is that they often shown as being from
north, east or south London, poor, common, lower
class, criminalistic, violent “Kidulthood” style
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16. North / South Divide

17. South England – often shown as being the
centre of culture, modern, classy, clever,
sunny, richer, doing middle class jobs such
as managers etc

18. North England – often shown as being
poorer, bad weather, lower class,
aggressive, less culture, less clever, doing
working class jobs such as builders etc

19. Where do these images
belong?

20. How do you represent your
region?

21. Label – Urban, Rural, North,
South Northerner, Southerner
City slicker, country bumpkin, Northerner,
City slicker, country bumpkin, Southerner
• High unemployment rates
• Factory workers
• Professional jobs
• Out of touch with the modern world
• New technology
• A quiet life In pairs sort into 4
In pairs sort into 4
• Well spoken, well educated columns
columns
• Bad manners
• Unintelligent
• Wealth
• On benefits, living in council accommodation
• Isolated
• Busy
• Snobs
• Politics and government
• Over-priced

22. Can you think of anymore regional
stereotypes?
How can you identify regional identity?
Setting
Accents
Dialogue
Props
Make up
Class of characters
Costumes

23. Why do we Stereotype?
A stereotype is “...a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class
of people.” (Cardwell, 1996).
For example, someone who lives in the country side is uneducated.
One advantage of a stereotype is that it enables us to respond rapidly to situations
because we may have had a similar experience before.
One disadvantage is that it makes us ignore differences between individuals;
therefore we think things about people that might not be true (i.e. make
generalisations).
Smash a stereotype.
1.Think of an individual you know from
one of the regions we have discussed
2.Write down the stereotype
3.Then how they subvert it.
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24. Fill in the grid - you have 2 mins (30 seconds a micro
element)
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25. North / Divide
• Our Friends in the North Extract
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu2Mu6_trho

26. Rural / Urban
• Doc Martin
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gfYWZzaTBI&f

27. North / Divide
• North and South
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=pvBKdaY8Y3w
– Set in Victorian Britain
– Could refer to class also
– Focus just on North & South