Week 3 (Nationalism and ethno-nationalist conflict) Flashcards
What is national identity?
An identity that locates one’s social position in relation to national membership.
National identity connects individuals to their nation-state.
What is ethnic identity?
Sense of common identity based on shared ancestry
Ethnic identity often involves cultural traditions and shared history.
What is nationalism?
The view that the world should be divided into sovereign nations.
Nationalism can manifest in various forms, impacting political structures.
What is ethno-nationalism?
The view that ethnic identity is central to conceptions of the nation, and that nations should coincide with ethnic groups.
Ethno-nationalism often leads to conflicts over national boundaries and identity.
What are the two sub-theories in modernist theory of nationalism studies?
- Structuralism - Large, difficult to change parts of society (‘social structures’) determine what matters about national identity.
- Constructivism - Creative efforts of people define and redefine identities (since nations are symbolic constructs).
Structuralism emphasizes stability and continuity in social identity; constructivism highlights the fluid nature of identity and its evolution over time.
What is civic nationalism?
Focus on citizenship; citizens of the state = members of the nation.
Eg: USA, where patriotism has traditionally been based on shared values (eg liberty) and democratic institutions (eg Congress, Constitution).
Civic nationalism emphasizes legal and political membership rather than ethnic ties.
What is ethnic nationalism?
Focus on ethnic descent/ancestry; membership of the nation passed down by blood.
Eg: nationalism in the 1990s wars in former Yugoslavia, eg Bosnian nationalism, Serbian nationalism, etc.
Ethnic nationalism often leads to exclusionary practices.
What is individualistic nationalism?
Voluntary/associative; always civic.
This type of nationalism values personal choice in national affiliation.
What is collectivistic nationalism?
Transcends individual wills; can be civic or ethnic.
Collectivistic nationalism emphasizes the community over the individual.
How do strong national identities facilitate the creation of strong states?
- Strong national identities can facilitate state functions, especially in wartime.
- They facilitate the collection of taxes (taxation is often linked to a sense of belonging and loyalty to the state).
What is ethno-nationalist conflict?
Conflict between groups, each with a sense of commonality based on a belief in common origin or ancestry.
Such conflicts can also involve material elements like land and representation.
What causes ethno-nationalist conflict according to social psychology?
Grievances from changes in relative status of different groups, e.g., changes in access to resources or relative social status.
This perspective focuses on psychological and social factors.
What are potential solutions to stop ethno-nationalist violence?
Institutions, civil society, and the international community.
What role do institutions play in preventing ethnic conflicts?
Federalism, power-sharing, and consociationalism can reduce ethnic conflicts.
These structures allow for diverse representation and cooperation among groups.
What role does civil society play in addressing ethno-nationalist violence?
Local trust-building, peace commissions, and coming to terms with the past.
Grassroots efforts can foster reconciliation and understanding.
What is the role of the international community in stopping ethno-nationalist violence?
External pressure from powerful states (eg. NATO in Serbia/Kosovo) or international organizations (eg UN peacekeepers in Cyprus).
What are the three main explanations of the existence of nationalism?
- Primordialism - nationalism is just strong group identity, and therefore all societies have it
- Perennialism - not all societies have nationalism, but some pre-modern societies did (eg some early modern European states)
- Modernism - nationalism is a uniquely modern phenomenon, emerging in the late c18th.
Why do ethno-nationalist conflicts occur according to primordialism?
As a result of deep-seated primordial passions; when one group feels threatened by another.
(BUT why is there not constant conflict? most ethnic groups live in peace…)
Why do ethno-nationalist conflicts occur according to the culturalist/constructivist view?
As a result of the kinds of identities and boundaries constructed by groups.
- ‘Barricaded identities’ - sharp distinctions between in-group and out-group; out-group members seen as threatening
- ‘Bounded identities’ - facilitate having multiple identities/associations
Barricaded identities are seen to increase the likelihood of ethnic conflict; however, this is not a sufficient explanation in itself and other factors must be at play.
Why do ethno-nationalist conflicts occur according to instrumentalism?
Purely for material reasons. National identity is therefore an instrument used by politicians.
Case study: Russian nationalism under Putin
Putin has deliberately blurred the line between rossiyanin (Russian citizen) and russkiy (ethnic Russian), using ethnic nationalism to promote a new Russification.
