ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces the two key areas of research I am building on and arguing against. First, recent quantitative political science research into populism and the politics of immigration, which broadly argues that either economics or culture are responsible for contemporary political divisions in England – and that if the latter is the most salient dimension then a US-style ‘culture war’ is looming in which political coalitions and compromises will be difficult to forge. Second, sociological and cultural studies account that foreground racism and class. I will argue that neither broad sets of literature take into account the fundamental role of nationalist politics. The chapter will then introduce the constituency of Portsmouth South as an appropriate research site due to its socioeconomic disparities and unique political volatility as represented by high levels of voting for each of the main parties (and UKIP) and in favour of Brexit.
