Lesson 3 - Page 2 - How does nationalism emerge from the culture of a place?

We can define nationalism as a feeling of belonging to a nation and a sense of pride and caring for a collective identity. It is also a political ideology in which the members of a nation seek to gain of sovereignty over a particular territory (homeland) based on the belief that all nations have the right to determine their own affairs. Nationalism, therefore, is a concept that connects a sense of belonging to an imagined community with that of the right of nations to live independently in an imagined homeland.

National cultures tend to portray nations as if they always have been unified and homogeneous. Remember, nation-states reinforce the idea of "community" through the creation of symbols and through a particular narrative about national history, culture, and tradition. For example, the lyrics of some national anthems contain a narrative or story of that particular country's history or traditions. These elements of nationalism are disseminated by the state apparatus through education, the media, and law.

In many countries, the way certain subjects such as history, geography, literature, and art history are explained reinforce a particular idea of national identity while neglecting other elements of that same country. Therefore, nation-states always emphasize a particular idea of "national " culture and try to promote it by different means. However, countries are constantly changing and thus the narratives do not completely represent the social groups that constitute a nation. Certain groups might find themselves underrepresented or neglected or in the worst cases repressed and persecuted. In many cases, a nation is a minority culture existing in a state whose majority does not share the same cultural identity or political ideology. When a nation's imagined homeland falls within the borders of a state, there is potential for conflict between the nation and the state.

In the next lesson, your team will apply the concepts from this module to analyze three examples of political change. First, let's take a closer look at how a nation's identity is connected to its geography.

Collaborative Learning Activity 3.1 - How does a nation identify itself with a place?

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Summary

In this lesson, your team explored the concept of nationalism and some of the reasons why different places are important to national identity. In the next lesson, you will learn about the development of nationalism in particular places and why nationalism is an important force of political change in the world.

Review of Materials Due

Before your team proceeds to the next lesson, each local group should:

1. Post answers to all "blue box" discussion questions in the Group Discussion Board.

Please begin Lesson 4 on the date assigned by your instructor.