International political community: Nationalism
1) Introduction
i. "This term is used in two related senses. In the first usage,
nationalism seeks to identify a behavioral entity - the nation -
and thereafter to pursue certain political and cultural goals on
behalf of it. In the second usage, nationalism is a sentiment of
loyalty toward the nation which is shared by people."
ii. Nationalism claims that the nation exists and should form
the basis of the political order.
iii. Nationalism can be considered as ideology, as sentiments, and
as politics.
iv. There are different typologies of nationalism, such as
ethnic/civic, elite/mass, state-strengthening/state-subverting.
v. The most important debates on nationalism concern whether it is
cause or consequence of nation, the relative importance of
culture, economics and politics, and the different roles played by
internal and external factors.
2) Different Aspects of Nationalism
i. It is impossible to define a 'nation-state' in objective terms without
accepting the assumptions of nationalism. Therefore, nation-state
will be defined largely in terms of its self-description and that of
the international community.
ii. There is no simple sequence leading either from nationalism
to nation-state formation to changes in the global political
order or the other way round.
iii. There is no single, dominant form of nationalism. Instead it
can take ethnic, civic, and other forms, be elite or popular,
strengthen or subvert existing states.
iv. The best place to start is with the central political actors.
These are the most important state or states in each historical
phase.
3) Evolution of Nationalism
i. The political ideology of states matters most because they have
the most power and others tend to respond to their power and
ideologies. At the start of our history global conflict is shifting
1) Introduction
i. "This term is used in two related senses. In the first usage,
nationalism seeks to identify a behavioral entity - the nation -
and thereafter to pursue certain political and cultural goals on
behalf of it. In the second usage, nationalism is a sentiment of
loyalty toward the nation which is shared by people."
ii. Nationalism claims that the nation exists and should form
the basis of the political order.
iii. Nationalism can be considered as ideology, as sentiments, and
as politics.
iv. There are different typologies of nationalism, such as
ethnic/civic, elite/mass, state-strengthening/state-subverting.
v. The most important debates on nationalism concern whether it is
cause or consequence of nation, the relative importance of
culture, economics and politics, and the different roles played by
internal and external factors.
2) Different Aspects of Nationalism
i. It is impossible to define a 'nation-state' in objective terms without
accepting the assumptions of nationalism. Therefore, nation-state
will be defined largely in terms of its self-description and that of
the international community.
ii. There is no simple sequence leading either from nationalism
to nation-state formation to changes in the global political
order or the other way round.
iii. There is no single, dominant form of nationalism. Instead it
can take ethnic, civic, and other forms, be elite or popular,
strengthen or subvert existing states.
iv. The best place to start is with the central political actors.
These are the most important state or states in each historical
phase.
3) Evolution of Nationalism
i. The political ideology of states matters most because they have
the most power and others tend to respond to their power and
ideologies. At the start of our history global conflict is shifting
