Activity 1: Create an annotated map with a profile of the four nations that comprise the UK

 

Learning objective: To reflect upon and remember the key nationalities, cultures, and diversity that exist within the UK

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12
• An outline of the UK that identifies the borders of the four nations of the UK – this can be printed or an image from a search engine
• Post-it notes
• Coloured pens

Outline of activity:

Using your outline of the UK, create an annotated map that profiles the four nations – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – comprising the UK.

If using a printed outline, you can annotate this using the post-it notes and coloured pens. If using your computer, you could annotate this using text boxes in a programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint.

Among other things, you could include detail related to:

• The population of each nation
• The official languages of each nation
• Statistics relating to the main languages spoken in each nation
• Statistics relating to the religious affiliation of people living in each nation
• Statistics relating to the ethnicity of people living in each nation
• Statistics relating to national identity in each nation
• Economic data (e.g. GDP per capita; key industrial sectors, levels of unemployment)
• Details related to the political parties represented by MPs from each nation, as well as political parties represented in sub-national legislatures (e.g. Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, Northern Irish assembly)
• How voters in each nation voted in the most recent general election(s)
• How each nation voted in the 2016 EU referendum
• How local government is organized in each nation

Need some help? Why not refer to section 12.1 of the book? For statistics, you can use information from sources such as the Office for National Statistics

Answer guidance:

Consider these questions:

• What does each nation of the UK have in common?
• How do the nations of the UK differ from one another?

 

 

Activity 2: Create an essay plan for the question: “What is the significance of the relative population size of England to the UK state?”

 

Learning objective: To evaluate the significance of England to the UK state

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12

Outline of activity:

Create an essay plan for the question: “What is the significance of the relative population size of England to the UK state?”

Make notes on what you would include in each paragraph of your essay, making sure to include all sides of the argument.

Need some help? Why not refer to sections 12.2.8 and 12.2.9 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What advantages does England’s relative population size afford it compared to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
• What disadvantages does England’s relative population size afford it compared to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
• In what ways do Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland benefit from England’s relative population size?
• In what ways are Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland disadvantaged by England’s relative population size?
• To what extent, if at all, does England’s relative population size undermine the integrity of the UK?

 

 

 

Activity 3: Debate the statement: “Given the ways in which it is a divergent state, the breakup of the United Kingdom is inevitable. Discuss.”

 

Learning objective: To create an argument about the stability of the UK as a state and analyse the consequences of it being a divergent state

Suitable for: Pair or group work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12

Outline of activity:

With a partner or in a group, hold a debate regarding the statement “Given the ways in which it is a divergent state, the breakup of the United Kingdom is inevitable. Discuss.”

One side should argue the case that the breakup of the United Kingdom is inevitable given the ways in which it is a divergent state. The other side should argue the case that the breakup of the United Kingdom is not inevitable.

Take 10-15 minutes to make notes in support of your case. Each side then has up to five minutes to outline their case before the other responds.

 

Need some help? Why not refer to section 12.2 – in particular sections 12.2.8 and 12.2.9 – of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What are the key ways in which the UK is a divergent state?
• To what extent do the ways in which the UK is a divergent state act as a source of strength for the UK?
• To what extent do the ways in which the UK is a divergent state undermine the strength of the UK?
• Would the nations of the UK be stronger or weaker if they were independent?
• What do each of the nations gain from being part of the union?

Activity 4: Apply the theoretical conceptions of a state to the UK

 

Learning objective: To apply different theoretical models of states to the UK

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12
• An A3 piece of paper or access to a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint

 

Outline of activity:

On an A3 piece of paper or using a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint copy the ‘Concepts of a state’ diagram listed in section 12.3 of the book.

For each of the six concepts listed (‘Nation state’, ‘Multinational state’, ‘Consociationalism’, ‘Unitary state’, ‘Union state’, and ‘Federation’) think of two to three reasons why this concept could be best applied to the UK and two to three reasons why this concept might not be best applied to the UK.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 12.3 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What aspects of the UK state fit the definitions of each concept?
• What aspects of the UK state do not fit the definitions of each concept?
• Which concept do you think best applies to the UK? Why is that the case?

 

 

 

Activity 5: Create an essay plan for the question: “Has the United Kingdom become a ‘quasi-federal’ state?”

 

Learning objective: To create an argument about the extent to which the UK has become a federal state

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12

Outline of activity:

Create an essay plan for the question: “Has the United Kingdom become a ‘quasi-federal’ state?”

Make notes on what you would include in each paragraph of your essay, making sure to include all sides of the argument.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 12.3 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• How has the nature of the UK state developed over time?
• What are the characteristics of a federal state? Which of these does the UK possess? And which does it not possess?
• What are the characteristics of a unitary state? Which of these does the UK possess? And which does it not possess?