Nationalism is a political ideology that promotes a national identity based on shared characteristics. It holds that a nation should govern itself independently and maintain its unique culture and national symbols. There are different types of nationalism such as civic nationalism which defines the nation based on shared political values rather than ethnicity, and ethnic nationalism which ties national identity to a shared heritage and ancestry. Nationalism is seen by some as a way for a threatened nation to unite against external threats but others criticize it as an artificial construct that can marginalize minorities and increase conflict.

1. Nationalism

2. Definition
• The word nation was used before 1800 in Europe to refer to the
inhabitants of a country as well as to collective identities that could
include shared history, law, language, political rights, religion and
traditions, in a sense more similar to the modern conception.
• Nationalism is the exaggerated belief in the greatness and unity of
one’s country.

3. Explanation
• Nationalism is a political, social, and economic system characterized
by promoting the interests of a particular nation, particularly with the
aim of gaining and maintaining self-governance, or full sovereignty,
over the group's homeland.
• The political ideology therefore holds that a nation should govern
itself, free from unwanted outside interference, and is linked to the
concept of self-determination.

4. • Nationalism is further oriented towards developing and maintaining a
national identity based on shared characteristics such as culture,
language, race, religion, political goals or a belief in a common ancestry.
• Nationalism therefore seeks to preserve the nation's culture.
• It often also involves a sense of pride in the nation's achievements, and
is closely linked to the concept of patriotism.
• It is a sentiment that binds the people together.
• National symbols and flags, national anthems, national languages,
national myths and other symbols of national identity are highly
important in nationalism.

5. • Many political scientists have theorized about the foundations of the modern
nation-state and the concept of sovereignty. The concept of nationalism in
political science draws from these theoretical foundations. Philosophers like
Machiavelli, Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau conceptualized the state as the
result of a "social contract" between rulers and individuals.
• Linen supported the concept of self-determination. Historians, sociologists,
and anthropologists have debated different types of nationalism. Generally,
the most common way of classifying nationalism has been to describe
movements as having either "civic" or "ethnic" nationalist characteristics.
This distinction was popularized in the 1950s by Hans Kohn who described
"civic" nationalism as "Western" and more democratic while depicting
"ethnic" nationalism as "Eastern" and undemocratic.
• Marx and Engels declared that 'the working men have no country'. They
saw nationalism as a 'false consciousness', which prevented the working
class from rising up and ending their tyranny by the capitalist class.

6. Why Nationalism?
• Many scholars believe that the development of nationalism in Europe (and
subsequently the modern nation-state) was due to the threat of war.
• "External threats have such a powerful effect on nationalism because
people realize in a profound manner that they are under threat because of
who they are as a nation; they are forced to recognize that it is only as a
nation that they can successfully defeat the threat".
• Jeffrey Herbst argues that the lack of external threats to countries in Sub-
Saharan Africa, post-independence, is linked to weak state nationalism and
state capacity.
• Barry Posen argues that nationalism increases the intensity of war, and that
states deliberately promote nationalism with the aim of improving their
military capabilities.

7. Sociological Nationalism
• The sociological or modernist interpretation of nationalism and nation-
building argues that nationalism arises and flourishes in modern societies
that have an industrial economy capable of self-sustainability, a central
supreme authority capable of maintaining authority and unity, and a
centralized language understood by a community of people.
• Modernist theorists note that this is only possible in modern societies,
while traditional societies typically lack the fundamentals for nationalism.
• They lack a modern self-sustainable economy, have divided authorities,
and use multiple languages resulting in many groups being unable to
communicate with each other.

8. Civic Nationalism
• Civic nationalism (also known as liberal nationalism) defines the
nation as an association of people who identify themselves as
belonging to the nation, who have equal and shared political rights,
and allegiance to similar political procedures.
• According to the principles of civic nationalism, the nation is not
based on common ethnic ancestry, but is a political entity whose core
identity is not ethnicity.

9. Ethnic nationalism
• Ethnic nationalism, also known as ethno-nationalism, is a form of
nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity.
• The central theme of ethnic nationalists is that "nations are defined
by a shared heritage, which usually includes a common language, a
common faith, and a common ethnic ancestry".
• It also includes ideas of a culture shared between members of the
group, and with their ancestors.

10. Religious Nationalism
• Religious nationalism is the relationship of nationalism to a particular
religious belief where a shared religion can be seen to contribute to a
sense of national unity, a common bond among the citizens of the
nation.

11. Territorial Nationalism
• Territorial nationalists assume that all inhabitants of a particular
nation owe allegiance to their country of birth or adoption.
• Citizenship is idealized by territorial nationalists.
• A criterion of a territorial nationalism is the establishment of a mass,
public culture based on common values, codes and traditions of the
population.

12. Criticism
• Critics of nationalism have argued that it is often unclear what constitutes a "nation", or
whether a nation is a legitimate unit of political rule.
• Nationalists hold that the boundaries of a nation and a state should coincide with one
another, thus nationalism tends to oppose multiculturalism.
• Nationalism serves to marginalize minorities who live within a nation-state but do not
share the necessary characteristics to be considered part of the nation.
• It can also lead to conflict when more than one national group finds itself claiming rights
to a particular territory or seeking to take control of the state.
• Philosopher A.C. Grayling describes nations as artificial constructs, "their boundaries
drawn in the blood of past wars". He argues that "there is no country on earth which is
not home to more than one different but usually coexisting culture. Cultural heritage is
not the same thing as national identity".
• In the liberal political tradition there was mostly a negative attitude toward nationalism
as a dangerous force and a cause of conflict and war between nation-states.