Abstract
The Labour Government and its members have emphasized the concept of Britishness as identity in order to manage cultural diversity and to maintain social cohesion in Britain. Why do they give such prominence to the concept? To understand the reasons, this paper examines the function of Britishness on social cohesion and cultural diversity. First, I point out the rise of cultural diversity and devolution as the background. Then, I demonstrate through multivariate analysis that people identified with Britishness request more liberal qualification for integration and have a more tolerant attitude toward cultural difference. Finally, I appreciate the possibility and problems of promoting Britishness. This article contributes to the research concerning new assimilation policies arising in western countries.
