Simon Roberts is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Chester. He was a practicing journalist for 10 years, editing several London-based business publications and working for regional newspapers. He holds a BA from the University of Manchester and an MA from the University of Liverpool. His research is currently focused on the links between media, political devolution, civic engagement and cultural identity in small nations across the EU.

Brands of patriotism

INTERNATIONAL football tournaments always provoke reflections on national identity. The post-Gazza commercialisation of football and the parallel exploitation of its links to a post-devolution rise in English patriotism ensure that each year the hubristic flag-waving increases. This will be particularly apparent today as England plays its first game in the World Cup. The most interesting [...]