This Separated Isle: Invisible Britain

Description

This Separated Isle explores how concepts of 'Britishness' reveal an inclusive range of understandings about our national character. Featuring a diverse range of photographic portraits and narrative stories from across the UK, this landmark book examines the relationship between identity and nationhood, revealing the ties that bind us together. Even as COVID-19 made a seismic impact across the world, the cracks in British society exposed by Brexit, Black Lives Matter and rising levels of race hate crimes revealed bitter divisions in British society. In the aftermath of the pandemic, and with questions over the breakup of the United Kingdom refusing to dissipate, how do people across Britain choose to navigate the tensions in this divided land? With a foreword by Kit de Waal, This Separated Isle explores how concepts of 'Britishness' reveal an inclusive range of opinions and understandings about our national character. Featuring a diverse range of fascinating photographic portraits of people from across the UK and their accompanying narrative stories, this landmark book examines the relationship between identity and nationhood, revealing not only what divides us, but also the ties that bind us together as a nation.

Paul Sng is a British Chinese filmmaker and writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland, whose films are driven by methodical research, creative storytelling and a collaborative approach that strives for inclusivity and diversity in people and projects. In 2015, Paul founded Velvet Joy Productions to explore the lives and work of individuals who have been neglected, marginalised or misrepresented in the arts and media. Paul's documentaries have been broadcast on national television and screened internationally and include Sleaford Mods - Invisible Britain (2015), Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle (2017), Social Housing, Social Cleansing (2018) and Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliche (2021).

"Thirty-three beautifully photographed portraits accompany insightful interviews in this well-designed book, which brings together an eclectic range of individuals living in Britain today... It should be a book that is studied and discussed in every school classroom." Morning Star "This Separated Isle is a fantastic starting point towards radicalised patriotism featuring incredible photos and short punchy essays that portray this island of modern Britain as a contested space of despair versus hope." Counterfire