Nationalism Lecture 4: Theories II Prof. Lars-Erik Cederman Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) Seilergraben 49, Room G.2 lcederman@ethz.ch http://www.icr.ethz.ch/teaching/nationalism Assistant: Kimberly Sims , CIS, Room E 3, k-sims@northwestern.edu
Summary: Gellner • Gellner offers a constructivist critique of essentialist theory that – defines nationalism as principle stipulating political and cultural boundaries should coincide – is based on philosophy of history with nationalism as integrated part of modern world – stresses high culture supported by education – includes a theory of social conflict
Theories of nationalism: Main Debates Nationalist Anti-nationalist primordialism ideology Constructivism Essentialism Gellner
Critical reactions to Gellner • Functionalism • Materialism – Politics? – Culture? • Philosophy of history – Nations before industrial society? – Prediction may be possible
Gellner’s functionalism • “So the economy needs both the type of central culture and the central state; the culture needs the state; and the state probably needs the homogenous cultural branding of its flock ... In brief, the mutual relationship of a modern culture and state is something quite new, and springs, inevitably, from the requirements of modern society.” ( Nations and Nationalism , p. 140)
Functionalist explanation Industrial Society beneficial effect ? Nationalism ?
Amending Gellner’s theory Modern Society mechanisms beneficial Causal effect Nationalism Pre-modern factors
Benedict Anderson: Imagined Communities beneficial effect Nation-state as Vernacula- “imagined rization Nationalism 1. Print-capitalism community” 2. Reformation 3. Admin. reforms
Michael Mann: Political institutionalism Religious phase beneficial effect Modern, Discursive democratic Nationalism literacy society State policies, democratic Commercial/ movements statist phase
Other constructivists • Eric Hobsbawm: Marxist interpretation of nationalism as “false consciousness” and “invention of ideology”: – Nationalism was emancipatory but then derailed – Nationalism will be surpassed: post-nationalism • Karl Deutsch: social communication and modernization • Rogers Brubaker: Social closure of citizenship and immigration policies
Essentialist critique • Materialism: culture! • Historical timing: – nations before nationalism! – history more deterministic! Ethnic Nationalism Nations communities
A. D. Smith’s critique of Gellner • “Cultural functionalism” • Nations have ancient roots Nationalism Ethnic Nations Communities Modern Society need Ethno- Nation- genesis formation
Ethnogenesis ( Nation Identity, Ch. 2 ) • State-making • Military mobilization • Organized religion Ethnic evolution: • Religious reform • Cultural borrowing • Popular participation • Myths of ethnic election
Nation-Formation ( National Identity , ch. 3) Def. nation = 1. homeland Lateral Vertical 2. myths ethnie ethnie 3. mass culture 4. legal rights 5. economy
Other essentialists • John Armstrong, Nations Before Nationalism • Liah Greenfeld, Nationalism: Five Roads to Modernity • Walker Connors , Ethno-Nationalism
Gellner’s response to his critics • Functionalism • Beyond industrialization: bureaucratic centralization • “Nations have navels”
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