Nationalism and Cultural Landscapes民族主义与文化景观.pptVIP

Nationalism and Cultural Identities The Rise of New Europe Introduction Europe as a region of relatively stable though fragile nation states Each characterized (to varying degrees) by both centripetal and centrifugal forces Centripetal: Nationalism (Sports, War, History) Centrifugal: Devolution, Globalization, politics of difference For N. Johnson (citing Agnew) the complexities and fragility of nation-states have become more pronounced in Post-Cold War era Question of the geographical ‘scale’ of cultural identity Max Weber, Sociologist “. . . a nation is a community of sentiment which would adequately manifest itself in a state of its own; hence, a nation is a community which normally tends to produce a state of its own.” (quoted in Johnson, 1998: 86) Nations + States=Nation-states European nation-states emerged with the rise of industrial (economic) power and expansion of global empires Nations are a culturally similar groupings of people States are political institutions for organizing nations Nation-States are the products of a socio-political process of ‘nation-building’ Nation-states are territorially based. Why? Nation-state as a way of containing power Economic: national currencies, taxation, infrastructure Political: representation (hence need for National Censuses) Means of normalizing extent of institutions Nation-states foster “imagined” community Benedict Anderson (1983: 15) “Imagined” National Communities Nationalism: ideology that links nation to state Homogeneity of language Printing press: advent of popular literature School textbooks Standardization of time Achieved through information: factual and mythical “invented traditions” Suggest continuity with ancient (and significant) past Become essence of national “culture” “Imagined” National Communities Imperial Encounters with the “Other” Sense of community through encounter with colonial subjects Appropriation of “exotic” culture Food spices; crops: tea Architecture Fabrics Nationalism as Xenop