How Nationalism Has Changed Since The Beginning Of The 21st Century

Contemporary International Politics

The Definition of Nationalism

How, if at all, has nationalism changed since the beginning of the 21^st century? Discuss by referring to relevant contemporary examples.

Nationalism is referred to as the loyalty and the devotion to the nation particularly a sense to the national consciousness exalting one nation above all the others as well as placing emphasis to the promotion of the culture and interest as opposed to those nations (Anderson, 2016). Nationalism is the idea to identify a nation and subscribing to the notion which one country and its culture are superior to the others. it is crucial to note that nationalism does not solely identify with a given country and its culture (Anderson, 2016). It is largely a psychological phenomenon. It has become associated to the idealized conceptions on precisely how a nation should be, particularly on the basis of how nation operated over the past (Anderson, 2016). The idealized conceptions to the past national greatness are usually imaginative and they are not necessarily based on the reality. Nationalism usually takes two forms which are unification, and superiority.

According to Smith highlights that there are two broad kind of the nationalism, civic as well as ethnic (Angelini, 2015). The civic variation could be based around the principles of the political community as well as common values (Dawisha, 2016). An example of this could be the United States, which is based around such principles but it is open to the others to enable them to be part of the nation in case they agree to accept Americanism (Angelini, 2015). Whereas on the focus to the ethnic variety is on the blood ties, common history as well as the membership to such nations is more exclusively defined (Armstrong, 2017). Examples to this might on the countries to the former nations with much emphasis to the ethnicity as the acceptance into the nation.

The exclusive to the individuals of a country in forming an independent as well as separate existence could also be regarded as the nationalism (Dawisha, 2016). It is essentially dependent on the tribal instinct of an individual to lead a gregarious life. It is at the same time the psychological expression to the kinship (Díaz-Andreu and Champion, 2014). The concept of the nationalism is of the recent growth. It was regarded in the ancient or the medieval period (Díaz-Andreu and Champion, 2014). According to Dr. Gamerk it is one of the feature to the modern nationalism which most individuals who constitute to the nationality usually aspire either to be independent and to be under the state organization to their own choice as well as creation or maybe to be accordance to the large political autonomy where there are much united with another nationality (Dawisha, 2016). In this research, it is about the nationalism, it will explore how it has changed since the beginning of the 21^st Century. It will discuss through referring relevant contemporary examples.

Two Broad Categories of Nationalism: Civic and Ethnic

Nationalism is a tool of the leaders on to the state level as well as in the international system. The notion of acting to the national interest is usually taken for granted as the primary behavior on the states (Baylis, Smith and Owens, 2017). The idea of the national interest is usually an abstract concept, which is open to the interpretation (Díaz-Andreu and Champion, 2014). The nationalist interest could be regarded as putting the welfare to the nation state and its individuals above all else, as to whether it be at the expense to the other factor or not (Díaz-Andreu and Champion, 2014). Nationalism being the tool which allows the leaders to pursue the policies which they claim is in the national interest (Díaz-Andreu and Champion, 2014). Nationalism could be generated as well as provide the populations that are willing to support to their leaders in times of the crisis (Dirlik, 2018).

The aspect of nationalism it is a great democratic ideal that continuous to live as the strongest force and it continues to inspire struggle to the national liberation to different parts of the globe (Dirlik, 2018).  It stands to the nation state and the love for the nation state as well as advocate that every nationality has the right to have its own state (Dirlik, 2018). Nationalism it maintains every distinct human group which posses some of the special qualities that should be preserved as well as developed for the common good to the humanity (Dirlik, 2018). This could be attained only if that particular group has been free to develop on its own laws as well as institutions. The great ideal to the nationalism is based on the concept live or let live which has opened on the gate to the human development (Gilbert, 2018). This kind of sense to the unity has enriched on the world storehouse to the knowledge through giving the inspiration to create new arts, as well as literature (Gilbert, 2018). The national wealth has been used for common interest which has established the man legitimate rights to the national forum to pave way to the economic emancipation (Gilbert, 2018).

Too much of the 20^th Century, ideological discussions as well as debates have centered on the liberal versus conservative left versus right (Hammes, 2006). The ideological divide to the 21^st Century has emerged as the globalism versus nationalism (Hammes, 2006). Since the end of the world war 11, global integration as well as technological progress has fueled on the new world order which has been centered on the free trade, open borders as well as interdependent economies (Hammes, 2006). The good capital and individuals should have the capability to move freely across the borders and this is the meaning of the aspect of globalization (Hammes, 2006).  The new nationalist surge started and it shocked the advocates of the globalism (Hammes, 2006). The new nationalism is the vital aspect to the Brexit and the election of the Donald Trump (Snyder, 2017). The new nationalist seeks to reassert the control over their own countries. Their targets are usually global structures for example the European Unions, the World Trade organization, NATO, UN as well as the North American Free Trade Agreement (Heimsath, 2015). The nationalists usually posit no credible plans to replace on the institutions to the globalization they seek to tear down.

Nationalism as a Tool for Leaders at the State and International Level

In the recent years, any individual who has predicted on the aspect to the nationalism was the wave to the future which could have been regarded as eccentric (Henderson, 2010). All the most powerful forces especially in the business, technology as well as finance seem to push towards the deeper international integration (Henderson, 2010). The new supranational business such as the World Trade organization, G20 as well as international Criminal Court were usually set up in handling cross border issues which is proliferated to the globalized world (Henderson, 2010). Meanwhile European Union, organization in which countries pool sovereignty as well as forswear nationalism, set itself on the political model to the 21^st Century (Henderson, 2010).

In 2015 it became clear that nationalism is back. From the Europe to Asia and to America, politicians who based their appeal on the idea which they were standing up to their own countries would continue to grow especially in the power and influence (Henderson, 2010). This result would increase in the international tensions and the unpromising background efforts to the multilateral cooperation, where it is on the climate, taxation, development or trade (Juergensmeyer, 2017).

The resurgence to the nationalist style especially in the politics became much evident in 2014. An example in India Narendra Modi, which is often regarded as Hindu nationalist won the sweeping general election victory (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The nationalist parties had made numerous gains especially in the elections to the European parliament, with the France National Front as well as the Britain United Kingdom Independence Party which was topping on the polls (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The Scottish nationalists came unnervingly close to winning on the referendum on the independence from the UK (Juergensmeyer, 2017). There was also a nationalist rhetoric which surged in Vladimir Putin Russia, as the Kremlin had rallied to the domestic support to the annexation of the Crimea through use of the Russian media in order to portray to the outside world as hostile (Juergensmeyer, 2017).

There has been widespread disillusion to the political and the business elites, after many years to disappoint on the economic growth, which is a common factor which underpins on the resurgent to the nationalism all across the globe (Juergensmeyer, 2017). When it comes to Europe the added ingredient anger is at the high levels to the immigration (Juergensmeyer, 2017). When it comes to Russia it has been lingering on the humiliation about the collapse of Soviet Union as well as nostalgia to the great power status (Juergensmeyer, 2017). When it comes to Asia extra spice has been shifting on the balance of the power which has encouraged on the nations such as the China and the South Korea in focusing on the historical grievances especially against Japan (Juergensmeyer, 2017). In America there has been outrage which is at the growth to the Islamic State which begun to stoke on the appetite for the return to more assertive as well as militarized foreign policy (Juergensmeyer, 2017).  In Europe the key gauge to strength on the nationalism would be the general election especially in Britain and some of the local elections particularly in the Germany (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The relationship between the nationalist rhetoric and the territorial disputes would be critical to the future of the Asia.

The Great Democratic Ideal of Nationalism

The nationalist ideology has continued to shape the global politics in these times, and yet the 21^st Century nationalism has encountered a unique set of the challenges (Juergensmeyer, 2017). For instance, migration and the Diaspora have created cultural, economic as well as social networks that have bid individuals across the entire continents let alone the countries (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The much discussed aspects on globalisation, together with the regional integration has pushed the government to revising on the nation building rhetoric (Juergensmeyer, 2017). Some of the nation builders they have reacted on the globalisation as the potential threats while others they have seen crucial boost to their national power and the influenc (Juergensmeyer, 2017). This has become crucial due to the implications to the nation state authority as well as legitimacy (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The nation state might seek to square on the national autonomy with the deep involvement particularly to the regional alliances, trading networks along with the international organizations (Juergensmeyer, 2017). The sub state nationalists would continue to compete for personal loyalty and the support. Currently, the nationalist needs to consider the meaning of the self-determination, autonomy, independence as well as sovereignty to the increasing interconnected world (Juergensmeyer, 2017).

Close to the 21^st Century has seen unfolding to the numerous forms to the transnationalism that has led to predict on the end of nation state, while spike in the ethnic conflict and secession that followed on the Cold War collapse that led others to identify on the new rise to the nationalism (Juergensmeyer, 2017). There have been all manners to the minority, democratic, and post communist nationalisms that have been used as the evidence to this phenomenon (Skey and Antonsich, 2017). There are some that have resulted on the violent as well as bloody conflicts such as the breakup to Yugoslavia, while some of the others they have influenced on the democracies which have established such as UK, while in 2007 the nationalist parties that came to power in Scotland as well as Wales (Juergensmeyer, 2017).

It is important to note that the widely anticipated declines to the nation state when it comes to globalization have not materialized, and neither has these aspects been helpful in the isolation (Juergensmeyer, 2017). It is important to focus on this rather than the interrelationship that exists between the nationalism and the changes in the Cosmopolitan challenges which has been used to denote on the trends that ranges from the migration and the creation of the diasporas to wider phenomena of the transnationalism and the regionalization (Skey and Antonsich, 2017).

The Emergence of the Ideological Divide of Globalism versus Nationalism

The interpretation to the principle of the national self determination which is aimed to mean various degrees to the autonomy or the sovereignty has been one of the pragmatic responses in relation to the evolution of the globalisation as well as the regional governance (Reich, 2010). Contemporary sub state to the nationalist such as that exhibited in Scotland and Catalonia has used the process of the regional integration in order to offer support to the demands of the much greater autonomy from the overarching nation states (Hammes, 2006). This is one example of precisely how the nation states as well as the nationalist movements are responding to the present political context which is different from the one that was encountered in 19^th Century and that in 20^th Century nationalists (Hammes, 2006).  Regionalization is amongst the range to the contemporary phenomena which could be termed broadly as the cosmopolitan challenges and the ones that exists in the creative tension with the sub state nationalism as well as national building (Reich, 2010). There has been no clear principle which regulates on this relationship between the aspect of globalisation, and nationalism (Reich, 2010). Regionalization as well as globalisation they have been interpreted as detrimental, to the nation states as well as nationalism which appears to work against the survival of the nation state and aspiration to the sub state nationalist to the autonomy (Hammes, 2006). On the other hand, on the look that is beyond the European Union at the other forms to the regional integration usually suggest that there is regionalization which does not necessarily entail loss to the sovereignty (Skey and Antonsich, 2017). An example, business such as Association of the Southeast Asian Nations as well as North American Free Trade Areas are usually premised to the intergovernmental cooperation and this does not mean ceding sovereignty, but rather it means enhancing on the domestic legitimacy, national prosperity as well as the international clout (Skey and Antonsich, 2017).

Nationalism has numerous significance and these are highlighted as follows;

Nationalism helps in the liberation of the country from the foreign yoke. Nationalism has been able to infuse on the spirit of the patriotism in the minds of the individuals (Zelinsky, 2017). In case a country has been under the yoke to the foreign rule such as the case in the India which was before 1947, individuals could be unified in order to attain freedom through this aspect. In the 19^th century, for example in Greece, Bulgaria, Poland as well as Serbia and in the 20^th century many nations such as Asia and South America they started freedom movement (Hammes, 2006). This was inspired by the national feelings, and this enabled individuals in these countries to free themselves from the foreign rule (Zelinsky, 2017).

The Resurgence of Nationalist Politics

Nationalism has led to the social unit. It is through nationalism that feelings such as high and low along with cateism are banished from the minds of the individuals and the aspect of the social unity is attained (Hammes, 2006). The nationalist leader makes individuals to understand full force which our nation could progress and could have had a prestigious place in world only when all the disparities are removed (Khoury, 2014). It has also been observed that nationalism leads to the spirit of heroism as well as self sacrifice (Sluga, 2016). Every nation they have to ensure they make several sacrifices in order to attain and protect the freedom. For example in India they freed themselves from the Turks and Mughals and later from the British (Zelinsky, 2017).

Conclusion

In this essay, it has discussed on the aspect of nationalism. The essay has examined how nationalism has changed since the beginning of the 21^st Century. In this discussion it has referred to some contemporary examples which have been observed in numerous countries. Additionally, it has highlighted on the features of nationalism and its importance to various countries.

References

Anderson, K.B., 2016. Marx at the margins: on nationalism, ethnicity, and non-western societies. University of Chicago Press.

Angelini, A.M., 2015. Book Review: Brazil in Twenty-First Century Popular Media: Culture, Politics, and Nationalism on the World Stage. Journal of Latin American Studies, 47(3), pp.632-633.

Armstrong, J.A., 2017. Nations before nationalism. UNC Press Books.

Baylis, J., Smith, S. and Owens, P. eds., 2017. The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations. Oxford University Press.

Dawisha, A., 2016. Arab nationalism in the twentieth century: from triumph to despair. Princeton University Press.

Díaz-Andreu, M. and Champion, T., 2014. Nationalism and archaeology in Europe. Routledge.

Dirlik, A., 2018. The postcolonial aura: Third World criticism in the age of global capitalism. Routledge.

Gilbert, P., 2018. The philosophy of nationalism. Routledge.

Hammes, T.X., 2006. The sling and the stone: on war in the 21st century. Zenith Press.

Heimsath, C.H., 2015. Indian nationalism and Hindu social reform. Princeton University Press.

Henderson, G., 2010. Can nationalism be justified as a tool for human organization in a globalizing world? If not what are the alternatives?.

Juergensmeyer, M., 2017. The global rise of religious nationalism. In Current Issues in Law and Religion (pp. 40-52). Routledge.

Khoury, P.S., 2014. Syria and the French Mandate: The Politics of Arab Nationalism, 1920-1945. Princeton University Press.

Reich, R.B., 2010. The Work of Nations: Preparing Ourselves for 21st Century Capitalis. Vintage.

Skey, M. nd Antonsich, M. eds., 2017. Everyday Nationhood: Theorising Culture, Identity and Belonging After Banal Nationalism. Springer.

Sluga, G., 2016. Nationalism, the First World War, and sites of international memory. History of Education Review, 45(2), pp.212-227.

Snyder, L., 2017. The new nationalism. Routledge.

ZelinskyW., 2017. Nation into state: The shifting symbolic foundations of American nationalism. UNC Press Books.