A detailed, in-depth summary of chapter 6 of the book Politics by Andrew Heywood. The summary includes all terms and definitions and is sufficient scope for an exam. This book is often used for first-year political science courses.
Summary of Introduction to Political Science Part 2- Final
Summary Introduction to Political Science Part 1- Midterm (Readings and Lectures)
All for this textbook (27)
Written for
Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)
European Politics And Global Change
7321E020FY
All documents for this subject (12)
Seller
Follow
natyprycova
Reviews received
Content preview
CHAPTER 6 – NATIONS AND NATIONALISM
- Nationalism has contributed to the outbreak of wars and revolutions
- Diverse political phenomenon
What is a nation?
- Nation is taken for granted
- Nation is often used interchangeably with terms such as state, country, ethnic group
and race
- Nations – are complex phenomena that are shaped by a collection of factors
o Culturally → a nation is a group of people bound together by a common
language/religion/history and traditions (various level of cultural
heterogeneity)
o Politically → nation is a group of people who regard themselves as a natural
political community
- Nations can only be defined subjectively by their members
- Ethnic group → a group of people who share a common cultural and historical
identity, typically liked to a belief in common descent
- Cultural – cultural community, the importance of ethnic ties and loyalties
- Political – significance of civil bonds and allegiances
- Johann Gottfried Herder
o German poet and philosopher
o The father of cultural nationalism
Nations as cultural communities
- Nation is essentially ethnic or cultural entity
- Can be traced back to late 18th century Germany – Herder and Fichte
- Herder → nations are determined by its natural environment, climate and physical
geography
o Form of culturalism
o Appreciation of national traditions and collective memories
- Volksgeist → Literally, the spirit of the people, the organic identity of a people
reflected in their culture and particularly their language
- Culturalism → the belief that human beings are culturally defined creatures, culture
being the universal basis for personal and social identity
- Gellner – the degree to which nationalism is linked to modernization and
industrialization
- Cultural nationalism – a form of nationalism that places primary emphasis on the
regeneration of the nation as a distinctive civilization rather than as a discrete
political community
- Cultural nationalism often takes a form of national self-affirmation
o Welsh nationalism
o Black nationalism in the US
o West Indies
, - Meinecke → distinguishes between cultural nations and political nations
o Cultural → characterized by a high level of ethnic homogeneity
▪ Greeks, Germans, Russians, English and Irish
▪ Also Kurds, Tamils, Chechens
▪ Organic nations, they see themselves as exclusive groups
Nations as political communities
- Eric Hobsbawm → highlighted the degree to which nations are invented traditions
o Belief in historical continuity and cultural purity was invariably a myth and
myth created by nationalism itself
- Benedict Anderson → portrayed the modern nation as an artefact – imagined
community
o Imagined artifices constructed through education, the mass media and
process of political socialization
- Political nations → UK, USA, France
o UK - 4 cultural nations (English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish)
o USA – land of immigrants
o France – national identity is closely linked to the traditions and principles of
the 1789 French Revolution
- Acceptance of common principles and goals
- Such nations can be described as political in two senses
o 1. They have achieved statehood only after a struggle against colonial rule
▪ Unifying quest for national liberation and freedom
o 2. These nations have often been shaped by territorial boundaries that were
inherited from their former colonial rulers
- Tribalism → group behaviour characterized by insularity and exclusivity, typically
fuelled by hostility towards rival groups
- Racialism, racism
o These terms tend to be used interchangeably
o Racialism refers to any belief or doctrine that draws political or social
conclusions from the idea that humankind is divided into biologically distinct
races
o Racialism is manifest in calls for social segregation
VARIETIES OF NATIONALISM
- Immense controversy surrounds the political character of nationalism
o Progressive and liberating
o Irrational and reactionary creed that allows political leaders to conduct
policies of military expansion and war in the name of nationalism
- But in fact, it has been both
- Xenophobia → a fear or hatred of foreigners, pathological ethnocentrism
- Giuseppe Mazzini
o Italian nationalist and apostle of liberal republicanism
o Helped to liberate Milan
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller natyprycova. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R140,04. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
