Theories of Nationalism Overview and Relevance to Central Asia

8/8/2019 Theories of Nationalism Overview and Relevance to Central Asia

1/14

Theories of Nationalism,

Overview and Relevance to Central

Asia

by Rob KevlihanPresented at Billim / Central Asia Research Center seminar series, Almaty,

Kazakhstan, 25th March 2006 and at Billim / CARC Reset Seminar: TeachingExcellence in Political Philosophy, Lake Issykul, Kyrgyzstan, 9th May 2006


2/14

Defining Nationalism

Relationship between a community and the

state

That community often (but not always)compromises a particular ethnic group

Nation-state


3/14

Nation-state and governance

Complexity of governance arrangements

Multi-ethnic empires or states, often with one dominantgroup

Ethnic groups split between two or more states (Withstate control: Korea, Germany; without state control:Kurds; as a majority in one state and a minority inneighboring states)

Creation of new, overlapping identitiesUK, Belgium,

Canada

Collapse or reformulation of political structures andresultant opportunities for new governancearrangementsUSSR, Yugoslavia, Czechslovakia,

Ethiopia / Eritrea, Indonesia / East Timor


4/14

Theories of Nationalism

Primordialism

A people have always existed in a particular place and

after many years of struggle have established / will

establish an independent state

Largely viewed as a straw man in the literature, But, it

can reflect popular views of the state, particularly if

promulgated through the educational system, official

media etc.Can be contrasted with theories that argue that

nationalism is a purely modern phenomenon


5/14


Nationalism and industrialization (Gellner &

Hobsbawn)

Industrial revolution in western Europe in 19th century

led to mass movements of populations from rural tourban areas and new forms of associational life

Also led to a massive expansion of state capacity and

penetration of societye.g. through educational system

Nationalism arose from these changes


6/14


Imagined Communities (Anderson)

Also a function of modernity, but origins earlierfrom

invention of the printing press

Nationalism developed in different ways in different

places (linguistic, official and creole nationalisms)

Creole the first form in the Americas; official and

linguistic first arose in Europe

Largely a socially constructed and modern phenomenon

imagined communities


7/14


Ethno Symbolism (Smith)

Middle roadidea of ethnie

Recognizes the importance of modernprocesses but

Symbols and artifacts of an ethnic group are

importantcontent matters

Element of continuity but not primordialist


8/14


Post-modern critique

Danger of any dominant meta narrative

Group formation and the role of the otherIdentity need not be either / or

Idea of civic nationalism


9/14


Chatterjee

Fragments of nationalism multiple stories andimaginings instead of one all powerful hegemonic

nationalism in any given localeGender critique

Enloe - inherently genderized and indeed, male, originsand influences on nationalism

Yuval-Davisbut role of women in passing on valuesbetween generations and use of womanhood to supportnationalist discourse.


10/14


Relational analysis

Brubakertriangle between governing state,

alternative nationalism of minority within thatstate and nationalism of neighboring state that

has affinity with the minority

Typology: Minority, homeland and

nationalizing nationalisms


11/14

Nationalism and the state

Relationship between nationalism and the state

largely depends on theoretical approach adopted

towards nationalism itself and conceptualization

of state / society relations

Primordialist approach emphasizes the inherent

coherency of a particular society - the state derives

itself from that coherencySmithmore nuanced, but essentially the

presence of an ethnie lends itself to state formation


12/14

Nationalism and the state

Gellnerstatist approachit is the state itself thatuses nationalism to create societal coherency. JoelMigdalnationalism a means of binding society

to the stateAndersonnationalism largely elite driven.Whether it contributes to state coherency or notdepends on the personal experiences (pilgrimages)

and imaginings of elites in the first instance, andultimately on collective imaginings at the societallevel.


13/14

Relevance to Central Asia

Modern origins of state boundaries as a result ofSoviet nationality policies

Dominance of titular nationalities in each of the

states but presence of other ethnic groupsbothfrom neighboring states and from other parts ofthe former Soviet Union

State building policies of new stateslanguage

policies, state symbolism, nationality requirementsand continued use of ethnic markers (e.g. IDcards)


14/14

Relevance to Central Asia

Butgiven demographic realities, is a single

ethnic group / dominant model most appropriate?

Scope for civic nationalism and inclusive systems

Civic nationalism as a process

Critique of usual examplesthe US and France

Possibility of adapting from ethno-nationalist

frame to a more civic oriented frame? e.g Ireland.

Documents

Theories of Nationalism Overview and Relevance to Central Asia