Merton Society London Lecture

Speaker: Dr Sergi Pardos-Prado, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, who gave a talk entitled 'Insiders vs outsiders: Immigration, nationalism, and the new politics of identity.'

The intensity of socio-economic class-based political divides has progressively diminished in Western democracies. Contrary to expectations, the recent global financial meltdown has not revived old political and economic divides, but rather strengthened identity as the main channel to express political resentments and hopes. The rise of anti-immigrant populist parties and attitudes throughout Europe, the unexpected increase of secessionist movements like in Catalonia and Scotland, and the EU referendum in Britain are some paradigmatic examples of the strength of the new politics of identity. Dr Pardos-Prado's talk will explore the political causes and effects of these different forms of identity, and will suggest some policy frameworks to be able to cope with them.