ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies the ongoing conceptual and common sense con(fusion) between Britishness and Englishness that continues to problematise debates around English national identity(ies). It points to the socially constructed nature of English national identity that is underpinned by discussions of who is included and who is excluded, arguing that this boundary drawing exercise requires continual (re)defining, (re)negotiation and contestation. The chapter shows a consistent pattern whereby Black and minoritised ethnic communities have been interpreted as a threat to a dominant White British or English culture. It suggests a useful way for understanding the experiences of many minoritised ethnic groups is through a diasporic lens, which offers multiple and varied connections between different national contexts and sport. The chapter ends with a short overview of the concept of multiculturalism as applied to national identity, focusing particularly on the extent to which ideas of diversity and tolerance appear so far to be limited in a sporting context.
