Introducing nationalism

Ask people what nationalism means and most will mention patriotism, national flags, sacrifice for the country. The Republic Day parade in Delhi is a striking symbol of Indian nationalism, showing power, strength and diversity. Yet it is hard to give a precise, widely accepted definition.

Nationalism must still be studied, because for over two centuries it has been one of the most compelling political creeds, shaping history:

• It has inspired intense loyalties as well as deep hatreds.
• It has united people and divided them; liberated them from oppressive rule and caused conflict, bitterness and wars.
• It has broken up empires and states, and drawn and redrawn state boundaries. Most of the world is now divided into nation-states, but boundaries are still being reordered and separatist struggles are common.

Phases of nationalism:

• In 19th-century Europe, nationalism led to the unification of small kingdoms into larger nation-states: present-day Germany and Italy formed this way, and many new states arose in Latin America. Local dialects and loyalties merged into common languages and state loyalties, giving people a new political identity as members of a nation-state.
• It also helped break up large empires: the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires in early 20th-century Europe, and the British, French, Dutch and Portuguese empires in Asia and Africa.
• Since about 1960, even stable nation-states have faced nationalist demands from groups or regions, sometimes for separate statehood: examples named in the book include the Quebecois in Canada, the Basques in northern Spain, the Kurds in Turkey and Iraq, and the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Arab nationalism, by contrast, has hoped to unite Arab countries.

Is nationalism still relevant in a globalised world? The world may seem a 'global village', but nationalism remains powerful: think of how people cheer for their country's sports teams, or how people living abroad keep up with their home country's films and music.

Example (new): the way people across India, speaking different languages, celebrate together when an Indian athlete wins an Olympic medal shows nationalism's power to unite.