Thoughts on Nationalism (Cross-Posted from Barnyard Buzz)

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuel Leutze

  

What is nationalism? Is it positive or negative? Does it depend on circumstances? How are Islamism and nationalism related (or are they not related)? Where in the Middle East is nationalism found most abundantly? What have been the historical effects of nationalism? How do you see nationalism affecting current events (inside or outside the Middle East)? 

Nationalism is a topic near and dear to my Balkan heart. It was nationalism that gave birth to our (American) nation, it was nationalism that gave motivation to my ancestors fleeing the Turks and fought them to a standstill, and it was nationalism that gave me death threats and tried to beat me up a few too many times while I lived in that region of the world for a couple of years. Nationalism also lead to the worst concentration camps in Europe, the worst genocides, and the worst expulsions. Nationalism is a sense of cultivated pride in one's country or ethnicity, and sometimes it includes religion or ideology, and culture. You can use it to include people or to reject people.  It made me sick coming home to the US in 2016 and working the election as a poll worker during the presidential election. I had seen some of the worst aspects, and I saw too many people taking in some of the mannerisms that I associated with some of the worst things I had seen or heard of. Despite being part-Croatian, I could not bring myself to buy a flag because of the nationalism I associated it with.

 

It depends on the context and how it is used. 

Is it an inclusive nationalism? or is it a nationalism of exclusion? is it a nationalism of resistance? or one of assimilation? Again, it depends on the context.

So like I said, it depends on the context. I love the American Revolution; it was progress, a more inclusive (for the time) regime, and it was and continues to be one of the great liberating messages of humanity. Nationalism in the Balkans seems to be a little bit more self-centered. That being said, I also don't mind taking pride in the geography of food, of meaningful traditions being handed down from generation to generation, and so many other tangible and intangible manifestations of every unique human culture.