Core Pillars Of Nationalism

Question 1

Nations (core pillar)

Answer 1

A group of people who have a shared identity which incorporates language, political values, ethnicity, physical geography
E.g. the USA is a multinational country where people are united under the flag sharing core traditions and values. Despite diverse thnicity, people of the USA have been able to create a national consciousness

Question 2

Nation-state

Answer 2

A group of people with a shared identity organised in a political community under 1 government.

Many cultural groups that perceive themselves as nations are stateless and are seeking statehood, wishing to establish a nation state w sovereign territory e.g. the Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar but Myanmar do not recognise them as citizens part of their nation.

Question 3

Self-determination

Answer 3

The belief that nations should decide how they are governed.

Self determination is a contentious/controversial subject as it has led to many conflicts between those wishing to achieve it and those wishing to deny it.
E.g. Yugoslavia descended into a violent civil war in 1990s as different ethnic groups sought self determination.
Brexit in part was about self-determination.

Question 4

Culturalism

Answer 4

The idea that national identity is based on a unique and shared cultural identity which leads to a feeling of belonging.

In the 21st century, culturalsim flourishes among people who feel they have a distinctiveculture that is threatened by the majority culture of the nation state e.g minority cultures in the UK like the Scottish wished for more cultural autonomy from the dominant culture(English) - Scottish referendum.

This can lead to chauvinistic nationalism (associated with expansionist nationalism), where some nations believe that they are superior to others e.g. British empire believed its cultural values were superior and attempted to project its values onto indigenous people. This can also be reflected in the 21st century, where international schools adhere to the British education curriculum ( IGCSE, A-levels)

Question 5

Racialism

Answer 5

Biological racial distinction is the most important factor of national identity

Can descend into extreme cases of racism where the state openly oppresses the racial groups it detests e.g. in the USA before civil rights movement in 1960s, African Americans, native Americans and other non-white groups were routinely discriminated against which sadly still exists today.

Arian race were considered to be superior in Nazi Germany

Question 6

Internationalism

Answer 6

Countries should unite to advance their common interests in society
Liberal internationalism suggests that cooperation is the best way to protect liberal values e.g. Mazzini envisaged/predicted a united and cooperation Europe, which europhiles today would argue is what the EU represents today