Transformations of Nationalism in Comparative Perspective

• In Event: From the Origins to the Changes and Consequences of Nationalism

Abstract

Why do states adopt new contents of nationalism that depart from previously held conceptions of national identity and history? And why do only some of these new ideologies achieve wider resonance among ordinary citizens? Compared to the rich scholarship on the origins of nationalism, scholars lack a comparably sophisticated set of theories for understanding changes of nationalism over time. This paper addresses this theoretical blind spot by introducing a novel analytical framework. Most importantly, I emphasize both the crucial role of state-society relations and the inner workings of the state to account for distinct patterns of transformations. These differences are highly consequential. The adoption of a new national ideology redefines the boundaries of national belonging and legitimizes new political identities. This has significant implications for social provision and economic regulation. The usefulness of this perspective is illustrated based on case studies of emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Turkey, and South Africa.

Author

• Matthias vom Hau, Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals