Ethnic Nationalism Source of Communities of Fear
Nationalism, according to the most widely accepted definitions of, is the doctrine that the state and the nation should be congruent. However, there is much more to add to the definition of nationalism today in connection to the ethnic and civil society. The definition of nationalism depends on its context. The typology of nationalism defines its strength and/or weakness to its relationship among the community in which it’s defined. While civil nationalism accepts people for who they are in the unique condition that they accept the country’s constitution, ethnic nationalism goes beyond and requires that the community should share a common culture which can be racial, ethnic group, language or …show more content…
The argument will articulate these weaknesses by first looking at the genealogical roots and the modernist origin of ethnic nationalism. Then it will sketch the relationship between mass media, narcissism, intolerance and the formation of communities of fear. Lastly it will focus on how globalization exacerbated ethnic nationalism. The argument will also be grounded on Michael Igantieff’s analysis on the nature of ethnic based on “the narcissism of minor differences” in Warrior’s Honour, Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience.
First, it is important to draw the roots of ethnic nationalism in order to clearly address its impact upon communities. Ethnic nationalism has a deep connection with, state, nation and ethnicity. Let’s first define these three terms. As seen in class, a state is a continuous entity that does not disappear or die following the death of a ruler. On the other hand, the definition of a nation presents lot of difficulties. Ernest Gellner in his book “Nations and Nationalism” states that two men are of the same nation if and only they share the same culture and recognize each other as belonging to the same nation. Nationalism holds that states and nations …show more content…
The modernist perspective describes nationalism as a recent phenomenon that requires the structural conditions of modern society in order to exist. Instead of transforming communities of unity, how does ethnic nationalism accommodate to communities of fear? After World War II, Serbs and Croats lived together in their state Yugoslavia. The State was presided by a Croat named Tito, who did his best to reunite his people with what was called “Brotherhood and Unity”. The state flourished until he died. Then everything that once hold Yugoslavs together, split them apart. As seen in class when a ruler’s legitimacy depends on his charisma, his death stipulates the demolition of his ideology. At that time Yugoslavia was a communist country, and it coincided with the period where communism was collapsing. When a political ideology collapse, it puts its citizens into anxiety. Successively ethnic nationalism came to lead the population away from real issues such as the economic crisis. Naturally, human beings defend themselves when they feel vulnerable. Therefore, the Yugoslavians began to demand a state of their own. That desire to be separated from one another contributed in increasing the fear felt by minorities in each territory. So, they started to wonder about their safety. The biggest problem with this ethnic nation war is that it worsened when nations got their independence. For instance, when
Nationalism, according to the most widely accepted definitions of, is the doctrine that the state and the nation should be congruent. However, there is much more to add to the definition of nationalism today in connection to the ethnic and civil society. The definition of nationalism depends on its context. The typology of nationalism defines its strength and/or weakness to its relationship among the community in which it’s defined. While civil nationalism accepts people for who they are in the unique condition that they accept the country’s constitution, ethnic nationalism goes beyond and requires that the community should share a common culture which can be racial, ethnic group, language or …show more content…
The argument will articulate these weaknesses by first looking at the genealogical roots and the modernist origin of ethnic nationalism. Then it will sketch the relationship between mass media, narcissism, intolerance and the formation of communities of fear. Lastly it will focus on how globalization exacerbated ethnic nationalism. The argument will also be grounded on Michael Igantieff’s analysis on the nature of ethnic based on “the narcissism of minor differences” in Warrior’s Honour, Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience.
First, it is important to draw the roots of ethnic nationalism in order to clearly address its impact upon communities. Ethnic nationalism has a deep connection with, state, nation and ethnicity. Let’s first define these three terms. As seen in class, a state is a continuous entity that does not disappear or die following the death of a ruler. On the other hand, the definition of a nation presents lot of difficulties. Ernest Gellner in his book “Nations and Nationalism” states that two men are of the same nation if and only they share the same culture and recognize each other as belonging to the same nation. Nationalism holds that states and nations …show more content…
The modernist perspective describes nationalism as a recent phenomenon that requires the structural conditions of modern society in order to exist. Instead of transforming communities of unity, how does ethnic nationalism accommodate to communities of fear? After World War II, Serbs and Croats lived together in their state Yugoslavia. The State was presided by a Croat named Tito, who did his best to reunite his people with what was called “Brotherhood and Unity”. The state flourished until he died. Then everything that once hold Yugoslavs together, split them apart. As seen in class when a ruler’s legitimacy depends on his charisma, his death stipulates the demolition of his ideology. At that time Yugoslavia was a communist country, and it coincided with the period where communism was collapsing. When a political ideology collapse, it puts its citizens into anxiety. Successively ethnic nationalism came to lead the population away from real issues such as the economic crisis. Naturally, human beings defend themselves when they feel vulnerable. Therefore, the Yugoslavians began to demand a state of their own. That desire to be separated from one another contributed in increasing the fear felt by minorities in each territory. So, they started to wonder about their safety. The biggest problem with this ethnic nation war is that it worsened when nations got their independence. For instance, when