Canvey Island, located on the north side of the Thames Estuary, has experienced periodic inundations since its earliest periods of settlement. The island was sparsely populated until the late 1800s when a series of developments, including the construction of fixed links to the mainland, attracted migrants from the East End of London who went on to form the core of the present-day population. The recent and relatively homogenous nature of this migration pattern has led to a local perception of difference from the more established communities of the adjacent Essex shore. The latter factor has contributed to a growing push for local autonomy on the island, which has connected with broader national political trends. The article identifies the manner in which experiences and perceptions of insularity can foster distinct senses of local difference and marginalisation that result in autonomy initiatives at grassroots levels. With regard to the latter, parallels are also drawn with previous local autonomy initiatives in the United Kingdom, particularly those of the Isle of Dogs in 1970. The article also emphasises the role of the imagination and representation of locality in promotional, popular cultural and political discourse that informs senses of community identity in various ways.

中文翻译：

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盐沼综合：坎维岛（英国埃塞克斯）的地方政治，地方身份感知和自治倡议

位于泰晤士河口北侧的坎维岛（Canvey Island）自最早的定居时期以来就经历过周期性的淹没。岛上人烟稀少，直到1800年代后期，一系列发展，包括与大陆的固定连接建设，吸引了伦敦东区的移民，这些移民后来成为当今人口的核心。这种迁徙模式的近期性质和相对同质性已导致当地人意识到与邻近的埃塞克斯海岸的较成熟社区之间的差异。后一个因素促进了岛上地方自治的不断增长，而这与更广泛的国家政治趋势有关。该文章指出了对孤立的经历和看法可以促进地方差异和边缘化的独特感觉，从而导致了基层的自治倡议。关于后者，还与英国以前的地方自治举措（尤其是1970年的狗岛）相提并论。文章还强调了想象力和地方形象在促销，大众文化和政治中的作用以各种方式传达社区认同感的话语。