Westminster hosts conference to celebrate 25th anniversary of National Identities journal

The event saw academics, researchers and thought leaders from across the globe come together to explore how national identities studies have evolved since the journal was founded in 1999 and investigate how they should adapt to twenty-first century challenges ranging from the climate crisis to the rise of populism.

Sponsored by Westminster’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Architecture and Cities, as well as international publishing company Taylor & Francis, the three-day conference saw over 80 speakers from across the world come and discuss nationalism’s influence on identity, culture and politics. There were a variety of panels throughout the conference which explored topics such as gender, refugees and migration, media and global populism. 

‌The event opened with a welcome address from Professor Peter Bonfield, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Westminster. This was followed by panel discussions that investigated different research areas, including national identities in relation to film, war and disarmament, as well as the work of Professor Cangbai Wang, Professor of Migration, Heritage and Language at Westminster and Co-Director of HOMELandS, into the role of national museums in shaping contemporary identities in China.

Panel discussions continued into the second day with one on food and national identities that investigated how culinary traditions, like London's pie and mash shops, act as cultural markers of national identity, and how immigrant communities express identity through food. Another panel focused on national identities and cultural heritage and drew attention to who gets to define and preserve heritage.

The final day explored some of the most current and controversial topics around nationalism. With climate change being a critical global concern, the Climate Change and National Identity panel, chaired by Westminster’s Professor Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy, looked at how national identities are linked with food security and environmental crises. There were also panels on marginalisation and the treatment of minorities which delved into the ways nationalisms often exclude or suppress minority voices. 

The event came to a close with the final session chaired by Professor Pippa Catterall, which brought together contributors from across the world to discuss the future of national identity studies. This was followed by a reception that celebrated the significant contributions made to the field over the past 25 years and looked ahead to future research and collaboration.

The journal National Identities was founded in 1999 by Professor Pippa Catterall and focuses on exploring the correlation between identity, people, state and nation and examines the complexities linked with national identities across space and time.

Professor Catterall said: “The conference drew attention to the need to rethink increasingly outdated theories of nationalism in the light of growing scholarship and the rise of populism. It also drew attention to the problematic nature of the idea of the nation-state in a century when so many of the issues facing us as a species transcend national boundaries.”

This conference directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.  

Find out more about studying at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Westminster.