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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
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Defining Nationalism
Relationship between a community and the
state
That community often (but not always)compromises a particular ethnic group
Nation-state
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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
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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
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Theories of Nationalism
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
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Theories of Nationalism
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
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Theories of Nationalism
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
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Theories of Nationalism
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
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Theories of Nationalism
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.
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Theories of Nationalism
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
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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
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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.
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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)
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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.
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