History
Nationalism
Nationalism & the Nation-State
Also known as nationalist ideology
The notion that each people should have its own state feels ancient, but it's barely two centuries old, and once it caught on it redrew every border on the planet. Nations had to be imagined into being, using flags, anthems, and shared stories. It connects to Music & Sound in the arts, because anthems and folk songs were built to make strangers feel like one family. It links to How Language Works in literature, since a shared standard language often defined who counted as the nation, and to Religion and the State, because leaders often fused faith and flag to make the new nation feel sacred.
Key people
- Bart De WeverPrime Minister at Government of Belgium
- Constance MarkieviczIrish politician, first woman elected to the Westminster House of Commons and the Dáil Éireann, and first female Cabinet member in Europe
- Nadežda PetrovićSerbian artist (1873-1915)
- Alparslan TürkeşFounder of Turkish Nationalist Action Party and Grey Wolves (1917–1997)
Timeline
- 1780Nations and Nationalism Since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality (2nd ed.).
- 1790In the 1790s, the Habsburg monarchy, Prussia and Russia invaded, annexed, and subsequently partitioned Poland.
- 1798Nationalism as derived from the noun designating 'nations' is a newer word in the English language, dating to around 1798.
- 1800Napoleon's conquests of the German and Italian states around 1800–1806 played a major role in stimulating nationalism and the demands for national unity.
- 1808Spain lost all of its American colonies, except Cuba and Puerto Rico, in a complex series of revolts from 1808 to 1826.
Read
- The Wealth of NationsAdam Smith · 1776Book
- The Unfinished NationAlan Brinkley · 1993Book
- Fast Food NationEric Schlosser · 2001Book
- National Geographic ReadersLaura Marsh · 2013Book
Listen
- The awakening of NationalismDvPodcast
- Nationalism and the Culture Wars podcastEric KaufmannPodcast
- NationalismDaniella NewhillsPodcast
- Confronting Christian NationalismVote Common GoodPodcast
Voices to follow
- Gavin Esler@gavinesler · XBritish author and television presenter
- Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik@kuczynska_zonik · XPolish political scientist
- Kostadin Kostadinov@kostadinov1979 · XBulgarian politician
- Sofia Tipaldou@tipaldou · XSociologist studying nationalism & far right movements
Debates
- Is nationalism an ancient or modern phenomenon?One view: Some argue nationalism is a modern construct, emerging with the Enlightenment and industrialization. · Another: Others contend that pre-modern societies exhibited forms of collective identity akin to nationalism.Open question
- Is nationalism inherently positive or negative?One view: Nationalism can foster unity, self-determination, and collective action for shared goals. · Another: Nationalism can lead to exclusion, conflict, and oppression of minority groups.Open question
Glossary
- NationalismAn ideology and movement promoting the interests of a particular nation, especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty over its homeland.
- Nation-stateA sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent.
- Self-determinationThe process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own government.
- PatriotismLove for one's country, a sense of attachment to a homeland, and a feeling of loyalty or allegiance.
- Ethnic nationalismA form of nationalism where the 'nation' is defined in terms of ethnicity, often including a common culture, language, or religion.
- Civic nationalismA form of nationalism where the 'nation' is defined by shared political values and citizenship within a particular territory, regardless of ethnic background.
Careers
Roles this can lead toward
Threads 6
Where this connects to other fields — and why it's worth knowing.
- Art, Society & Identity Arts
Loads of 'ancient' folk costumes, dances, and legends were actually invented in the 1800s. New countries needed to feel old and soulful, so they manufactured traditions and called them timeless. A lot of 'heritage' folk art is really nation-building wearing a vintage costume.
- Creation Myths and Origin Stories Religion
New nations invented grand origin stories: noble ancestors, a lost golden age, a heroic beginning. They used the exact same tools that religions use to tell how the world was created. A country's founding myth and a sacred creation story are built in the same workshop.
- What Schools Are For Education
France once had regions full of people who didn't even speak the same language or feel French. Mass schooling was built on purpose to fix that: one language, one flag, one shared story for everyone. The standardized classroom was designed as a factory for turning locals into loyal citizens.
- Music & Sound Arts
That solemn national anthem that feels thousands of years old? A lot of them were freshly written in the 1800s, along with 'ancient' folk dances and costumes. Nations were being built, and they needed a shared past to feel real, so people composed one, then dressed it up as tradition.
- Religion and the State Religion
Nationalism quietly raided religion's closet and put on its clothes. Flags became holy icons, fallen soldiers became martyrs, the homeland became sacred soil, and founding documents became scripture. The nation turned itself into a kind of faith, one the state itself could command you to worship.
- Linguistics Literature
Once printing presses pumped out cheap books and newspapers in everyday language, strangers hundreds of miles apart started reading the same words and feeling like one people. They'd never meet, yet they imagined they belonged together. A 'nation' is partly just a side-effect of everyone reading the same printed language.