Be Here Now: Emotion and Identity in Blair's Britain

Be Here Now: Emotion and Identity in Blair's Britain

The construction of national identity during Blair's first term

2026

Fin Elliott

From its first election manifesto in 1997, New Labour defined itself through an optimistic nationalism that looked toward Britain’s place in the twenty-first century. In popular memory, this image of New Labour has endured, particularly in regard to Blair’s first term. This project moves beyond this constructed framework by exploring how nationalism was experienced by the British people during this period. Adopting a cultural history approach that places political developments within the wider socio-cultural context, it will examine the national mentality during the period. In doing so, it will consider how Britishness was understood and interpreted within the cultural sphere and ultimately whether the ‘Cool Britannia’ generation shared this national optimism.

Blair, Cool Britannia, New Labour, British Identity