Great Britain between Europe and America

Great Britain between Europe and America.

First stage 15-23 February

Today opposition and competition between Great Britain, Europe and America is the topic of interest. The whole world rivets attention on that how these countries upholding their interests.

As for me, this topic deserves much more public attention and in my research work I will try to develop a theme. I am planning to describe fairly the mood of the problem.

It is also a topical subject for me, because I am planning to enroll at a university to some other country and I have not decided where to, so my personal aim in this researching work is to help myself in choosing the most suitable country option.

Thinking about that makes me want to know more about their lifestyle and find more differences between Great Britain, USA and Europe.

In research work I shall get down to next problems:

1) Great Britain, Europe, America – race for power through the ages.

2) Great Britain, Europe, America – where to find best education?

Links:

1.http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/compare/usa.htm

Contains full comparison between Great Britain and America. We can find there substantive aspects of British life.

2. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17726

Contains comparison between Europe and America by Tony Judt. We can find there contrast for the differences between these two countries.

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States

It contains vivid description of American education. I think this link will be very helpful in my work.

4. http://www.educationineurope.org.uk/

This link contains analysis and alternatives of European education. There are examples of many countries, such as Spain, England, Italy etc.

Glossary: [1]

Race for power – struggle for power, to justle with smb. for power

To rivet attention – concentrate on a subject, to hold sb’s interest or attention

Vivid description – pictural description, a highly coloured description

Upholding – support, maintain, give help

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[1] Words explanation is taken from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Link - http://www.oup.com/

First Step

Great Britain between Europe and America

Aims
Under this research, you are expected to notice various manifestations of culture and
inter-cultural influences, i.e., observe the role of Great Britain in between
the powerful centres- continental Europe and the USA- in socio-political and cultural aspects.

Expectations
Your research should observe British, European and American mutual influence in any field of social life or culture, either direct (e.g. migration of Europeans to America) or indirect (e.g. the influence of Hollywood on British cinema).

Suggested Topics of the Research
History
Emigration and immigration, colonial past
Politics
USA, Britain and the European Union, British and American
partnership, e.g. in Iraq, connections of the two political systems,
politics and the media, e.g. in election campaigns.
Language
Influence of British English on American English and vice versa
Economy
Co-operation and competition in British and American economy
Film
Interrelation of British and American films and how they imagine and
depict each other
Literature
Interrelation of British and American fiction and how they imagine and
depict each other
Art
All possible kinds of art, including visual and media art, and their
reception.
Music
Various styles of music, including classical and pop music, and their
reception and consumption.
Youth Cultures, Subcultures
Hip-hop culture (clothing, music), club culture (e.g. rave, disco), net
culture, graffiti, punk culture, skinheads , the roots and elements of
take-over.
Everyday life
British and American lifestyle, values and their mutual influences
Fashion
Characteristic features of British and American fashion and their links

THE FIRST STAGE STEPS
Sources
You should look for up-to-date materials. You should have at least 5 different
sources (books, articles, internet resources).
You should keep your research question in mind when you do reading so
as to not get carried away. It is impossible to read everything that has
been written about a topic. Therefore you should focus on your narrow
topic area.
Within the first week (15-21 February)
- explain what defined your choice
- make up a list of your sources and esay what information is available from them
- elicit pieces of information to be further used and comment on it
- start compiling a glossary (a list of terms)to your research work

WELL BEGUN IS HALF DONE!