World Politics XI: Nationalism and Conflict

Flashcards on Nationalism and Conflict

Nationalism (Ernest Gellner's definition)

Political ideology arguing the nation should align with the state.

Congruence of Nation and State

The alignment of national (often ethnic) borders with state borders.

Self-determination

The desire for political sovereignty exercised by a nation over a given territory.

Patriotism

Allegiance and identification with the state.

Nationalism

Belief in the superiority of one's own nation over others.

The 'Nation'

An imagined community that is inherently limited and sovereign (Anderson 1991).

State-building Nationalism

State-sponsored nationalism aimed at forging a territory into a single nation.

Peripheral Nationalism

Nationalism where a nation within a state seeks its own state.

Ethnic Nationalism

National identity based on shared ethnic traits (ancestry, language, phenotype).

Civic Nationalism

National identity based on allegiance to shared political institutions.

Secession

A stateless nation achieving independence to form its own state.

Unification

The joining of two states sharing the same national identity.

Irredentism

A stateless nation joining a state where that nation is dominant.

Dynastic Principle of Rule

Rule based on dynastic principles of inheritance and lineage.

War Made the State

The concept that wars and competition among states led to state consolidation.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the legitimacy of the state resides in the will of the people.

Modernism (Origins of Nationalism)

The theory that nationalism is a product of industrialization and technological advancements.

Primordialism (Origins of Nationalism)

The theory that nations existed before modernization, based on deep-rooted sentiments.

Nationalism and War

Enhanced contributions to war efforts due to identification with the state.

Political Violence

Violence intended to achieve specific political objectives.

Intra-state Conflict

Conflict occurring within the borders of a single country.

State-based Conflict/Civil War

Conflict over government/territory with the state as a primary actor.

Communal Violence/Non-state Conflict

Violence where states are not directly involved.

One-sided Violence

Use of armed force by a state against its own civilian population.

Inter-state Conflict

Conflict involving at least two sovereign states.

Internationalized Civil War

A civil war with the intervention of a foreign state.

Ethnic Conflict

Conflict where at least one party makes claims on behalf of an ethnic group.

Nationalism and Intra-state Conflict

Conflicts arising from stateless nations or ethnic groups seeking secession or autonomy.

The Macedonian Syndrome

A minority X excluded in state A, with state B sharing ethnic ties and supporting secession of minority X.