Britain and Europe

The history of Britain has, at least in part, to be understood in a European context. Amid the ongoing Brexit crisis, mastodons on both sides are roaring about Britain's past relationship with Europe. Much specious history is presented to justify the closeness or distance of our political, cultural and economic links with 'the Continent', with isolationist advocates of a 'Little Britain' confronting those who breathlessly embrace a polyglot landmass with which Britain has traditionally 'balanced' its interests by taking sides.

But how like or unlike other European countries has Britain truly been, and in what respects? Moreover, how far can these similarities and differences be understood in terms of convergence, divergence, or roughly parallel tracks? Have the inhabitants of the British Isles felt themselves to be Europeans, have they taken an informed and sympathetic interest in events on the Continent, or has their ignorance of Europe led to insularity and xenophobia? Finally, to what extent has Britain been involved in European affairs over the last several hundred years? These are among the questions examined in Jeremy Black's fresh and trenchant analysis of Britain in Europe.