World Issues: Nationalism

nationalism

a shared sense of identity based on important social distinctions that has the purpose of gaining or keeping control of the group's own destiny

*The Great Delusion*

John Mearsheimer’s book where he explains how the power of nationalism rests in part on its symbiotic relationship with the state. Given the competitive pressures inherent in a world with no central authority, states have powerful incentives to encourage national unity within their borders, so that citizens are loyal and more willing to sacrifice for the state when necessary.

imagined community

because most citizens of a country, despite their strong feelings of fellowship, will never actually meet--let alone get to know one another, but the feeling of unity remains

state/country

a political unit that has sovereignty over a geographical area

(Example: Canada, Mexico)

nation

a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture, language, history, rituals (Example: Mayan people, Kurds, Palestinians)

sovereignty

Having the supreme authority within a specified region/state and the ability to govern itself without external interference.

The French Revolution

The defining point for nationalism

legitimacy

the right and acceptance of an authority, usually by the consent of the people. It is often considered essential for a state to function effectively and maintain stability.

nation-state

a single nation within the boundaries of a single State

Civic nationalism

associated with the “Western” (Global North) nations and is based on citizenship (having a “birth certificate”) rather than on ethnic linkages

ethnic nationalism

associated with the global south...drawing its ideological bonds from the people and their native history. It relies on elements that are considered purely unique to a group, such as collective memory, common language and values, and shared religion, myth, and symbolism. It is dependent on blood ties, bonds to the land, and native traditions.

official nationalism

aka “Pro-state” nationalism supports the existing state. It tends to originate in, or at least be guided by, the rulers of the state

"law of return"

mandates that anyone who identifies themselves as Jewish qualifies for Israeli citizenship as soon as they arrive in the state, regardless of birthplace

Zionism

a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty that ended WWI \[in 1918\] and gave France and Britain the authority to divide up the region into client states, under their domination. Palestine, during this mandate period, fell under the direct control of the British.

PLO

Palestinian Liberation Organization

intifada

"uprising" (literally "shaking off")--the major rebellions of Palestinians against Jewish settlers

Resolution 181

(1947) UN proposal to create a two-state solution in Palestine (Palestinians rejected it)

settlers

illegal migration of Israeli citizens who move into the West Bank

Theodor Herzl

A Jewish nationalist leader and founder of modern Zionism, who advocated for the establishment of a Jewish state.

Sykes-Picot Agreement

A 1916 secret treaty between the United Kingdom and France, to divide the Ottoman Empire into their mutually agreed spheres of influence and control the territory for their benefit.

The Balfour Declaration

a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during the First World War announcing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a small minority Jewish population.

Demons (according to William Stringfellow)

Entities that are real, but do not exist materially (They are believed to influence human behavior and societal issues, often representing the darker aspects of nationalism and power.)

Examples of Demons

Institutions (Presidency/marriage), abstractions (America), social phenomena (war/racism)

Tzadik

Hebrew term for “righteous” (or justice)

Bonhoeffer’s “Cheap Grace”

A concept describing grace that is given freely without requiring repentance, discipline, or confession leading to complacency in faith.

The Johari Window

A psychological model used to understand self-awareness, personal development, and communication, consisting of four quadrants: open, blind, hidden, and unknown.

localism

the belief that political, social, and economic order should prioritize local communities and cultures over global or national interests.

demagogue

A political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires or prejudices of ordinary people often through manipulation, emotional appeals, and rhetoric rather than rational argument.