Bringing Britain into being: sociology, anthropology and British lives

In this Introduction to the volume, we argue that the time is over for thinking reductively of the anthropology of Britain as simply ‘anthropology at home’. We also argue for the importance of creating space to promote fresh intellectual dialogue between anthropology and sociology. Both sociologists and anthropologists working on aspects of British social life are equally engaged, now more than ever, in the critical investigation of a common set of major issues such as the increase in cultural and ethnic nationalisms, economic austerity and its manifold impact on communities and individuals, and growing social and economic inequalities. Recognising disciplinary contributions to areas of mutual scholarly interest offers not only sources of intellectual inspiration for anthropologists and sociologists alike but also opens up possible avenues for forging institutional alliances and solidarities in the current political and economic climate of uncertainty for both disciplines.