Nationalism is extreme patriotism and pride in one's nation that it is superior to others. It developed in the 19th century with the rise of nation-states. In the 20th century, nationalism transformed into xenophobia and caused World Wars I and II. Today, nationalism still fuels conflicts by justifying acts against other nations. The Balkans region remains highly nationalistic and a source of tensions. In the future, nationalism will likely continue playing a large role in politics globally.

1. Nationalism A Disease By Another Name By Luke Mahler

2. What Is Nationalism? Nationalism, by definition, is extreme patriotism or pride in one’s nation and a belief that one’s nation is greater than all others. Nationalism is a key element in modern politics and the driving force behind the vast majority of the conflicts to be found in today’s geopolitical enviroment.

3. A Brief History…. Nationalism has its roots in the 19th century. The rise of the nation-state coincided with the Industrial Revolution, leading to a more developed and cohesive national identity. People began to sympathize with a nation or country more than a religion or an ethnic group, at least in the West.

4. A History Continued In the 20th century, this began to cause problems National identity began to transform into xenophobia and expansionism Such fear led to World War I; nations killed each other for ideals and flags The Second World War came about as a result of Hitler believing that Germany, the Third Reich, was destined to rule over the lesser nations and peoples Nationalism (among other things) fueled the decades-long Cold War between our country and the Soviet Union, almost destroying the world

5. What’s So Wrong With It? At first glance, Nationalism seems fairly harmless…since when has patriotism been a bad thing? Nationalism = Patriotism to an extreme A belief that your nation is greater than all others leads to a disregard for the lives and beliefs of other people Any act of genocide or war can be justified (at least mentally) on the grounds of innate superiority

6. Nationalism Today Today, nationalism and ideals of nationalism fuel our ideas that America is Number One, that we have a right to spread our ideals, that we have a right to do as we wish Nationalist sentiments among member states of the European Union stymie efforts to create a closer-knit continent Nationalism remains a dangerous source of war and conflict

7. The Balkans… The Balkans region of Europe is, today, the area most known for nationalistic feuds and issues Rivalries between states and peoples threaten to subsume the entire region in a massive war of hatred and fear Such examples include the “Kosovo is Serbia” controversy, the argument over whether the Slav republic of Macedonia truly is ‘Greek’, the simmering tension between the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Turkey, the forging of histories favorable to the state by Romania, and countless smaller issues

8. Nationalism Elsewhere? Outside of the West and the Near East, connections can be made (as they can be made in any subject in world history) regarding nationalism The religious fanaticism of the Middle Eastern nations and peoples serves as a somewhat-outmoded form of nationalism; it has nearly the same effects and consequences. India and China have, both, lately developed highly cohesive national identities to rival that of America and Europe

9. In The Future Nationalism will, in all likelihood, continue to play a large role in politics Eventually, perhaps the Middle East will acquire a national more than religious identity For the foreseeable future, nationalism is here to stay

10. The End! (And Sources) "History of the FYROM's Name Dispute." Hellenic Electronic Center. Web. 27 May 2010. <http://www.greece.org/themis/macedonia/history.htm>. Anderson, Benedict. "The Nationalism Project: What Is Nationalism?" The Nationalism Project: Homepage. 1997. Web. 27 May 2010. <http://www.nationalismproject.org/what.htm>. Halsall, Paul. "Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Nationalism." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 27 May 2010. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook17.html>.