Nationalism

Political ideology in which a nation claims the right to a state

- boundaries of the nation should be the boundaries of the state

Should we distinguish “ethnic group” from a “nation”?

- nation: a collective united by shared cultural features and a belief in the right to territorial self-determination (L.W. Barrington)

- ethnic group: collective united by shared cultural features

- ethnic communities (ethnies): “named human populations with shared ancestry myths, histories and cultures, having an association with a specific territory, and a sense of solidarity” (A.D. Smith)

Nations as imagined but not imaginary communities (B. Anderson)

- a nation exists if people believe it exists

Two Types of Nationalism

- Ethnic nationalism

- Civic nationalism

- Distinction is fuzzy in practice

o Formal civic nationalism may mask de facto ethnic nationalism (e.g., Turkey)

Ethnic nationalism

Shared ethnicity as basis for national identity

- Common, ancestry, language, culture (dress, cuisine, customs, history), or religion

States with ethnic nationalist identities

- Not always formal (e.g., Turkey is formally civic)

- Sri Lanka (Sinhalese nationalism); Rwanda (Hutu nationalism); Egypt; Iran; Turkey;

o Citizenship often exclusionary (jus sanguinis v. jus soli)

Civic Nationalism

Shared political values, principles, or beliefs as basis for membership in the nation

- “Civic religion”

- liberal and authoritarian forms

Multi-ethnic or multi-national states

- India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa

- citizenship usually inclusive (voluntary and open in principle)

Is the division absolute?

- Formal civic nationalism often entails language requirements and acceptance of core constitutional principles

- language politics may generate ethnic nationalist divisions in formally civic state

Origins of Nationalism

Modernist account

- industrialization and states created mass nationalism

- nationalism is modern (late 18^th century onward)

- class and political community can replace ethnic nation

Primordial account

- ethnic identities are real and ancient

- reflect socio-psychological drive for community

- class and political community cannot replace ethnic nation

Ethno-symbolist account:

- ethnies have pre-modern roots

- political salience varies over time

- e.g., Arab nationalism v. Egyptian nationalism

Political Role of Nationalism

- mobilizing ideology to acquire a state

- legitimating ideology for the state or rulers

- resistance ideology to oppose state demands

Nationalism and the Sov. Terr. State

- autonomy movements within state (Tamils in Sri Lanka; Kurds in Iraq)

- secession movements from state (Kurds in Turkey; Bengali in Pakistan; Sahari in Morocco/Spanish Sahara; Igbo in Nigeria [Biafra])