Banal NationalismMichael Billig presents a major challenge to orthodox conceptions of nationalism in this elegantly written book. While traditional theorizing has tended to the focus on extreme expressions of nationalism, the author turns his attention to the everyday, less visible forms which are neither exotic or remote, he describes as `banal nationalism′. The author asks why people do not forget their national identity. He suggests that in daily life nationalism is constantly flagged in the media through routine symbols and habits of language. Banal Nationalism is critical of orthodox theories in sociology, politics and social psychology for ignoring this core feature of national identity. Michael Billig argues forcefully that with nationalism continuing to be a major ideological force in the contemporary world, it is all the more important to recognize those signs of nationalism which are so familiar that they are easily overlooked. |
From inside the book
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Page 1
... appears 'barbaric', or, worse still, 'mediaeval' in today's balance of priorities. The great causes for which modern blood is to be spilled are different; and so is the scale of the bloodshed. As Isaiah Berlin has written, "it is by now ...
... appears 'barbaric', or, worse still, 'mediaeval' in today's balance of priorities. The great causes for which modern blood is to be spilled are different; and so is the scale of the bloodshed. As Isaiah Berlin has written, "it is by now ...
Page 6
... appears to fall apart; the stitching splits; the buttons pop; the customers complain 'this isn't how it normally looks'. Gaps in political language are rarely innocent. The case of 'nationalism' is no exception. By being semantically ...
... appears to fall apart; the stitching splits; the buttons pop; the customers complain 'this isn't how it normally looks'. Gaps in political language are rarely innocent. The case of 'nationalism' is no exception. By being semantically ...
Page 7
... appears to lack the violent passions of the extreme right. As Hannah Arendt (1963) stressed, banality is not ... appear also to be primed, ready to support the use of those armaments. Identity and Ideology The popular reaction of ...
... appears to lack the violent passions of the extreme right. As Hannah Arendt (1963) stressed, banality is not ... appear also to be primed, ready to support the use of those armaments. Identity and Ideology The popular reaction of ...
Page 10
... appear as 'natural'. Most crucially, the 'world of nations' is represented as a 'natural', moral order. This imagining of 'us', 'them', homelands and so on must be habitual or unimaginatively accomplished; yet, it also provides a ...
... appear as 'natural'. Most crucially, the 'world of nations' is represented as a 'natural', moral order. This imagining of 'us', 'them', homelands and so on must be habitual or unimaginatively accomplished; yet, it also provides a ...
Page 11
... appear as universal symbols. Banal nationalism is not to be corralled into the sports pages or the banal cliches of vote-seeking politicians. It is much more widespread. It even has its philosophical form. Chapter 7 considers in detail ...
... appear as universal symbols. Banal nationalism is not to be corralled into the sports pages or the banal cliches of vote-seeking politicians. It is much more widespread. It even has its philosophical form. Chapter 7 considers in detail ...
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
37 | |
National Identity in the World of Nations | 60 |
Flagging the Homeland Daily | 93 |
Postmodernity and Identity | 128 |
Philosophy as a Flag for the Pax Americana | 154 |
Concluding Remarks | 174 |
References | 178 |
Name Index | 193 |
Subject Index | 199 |
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Common terms and phrases
according American appear argued assumed audience banal banal nationalism become boundaries Britain British called Cambridge century Chapter citizens claim consciousness contemporary context continue created critics culture daily deixis described discourse distinction established ethnic Europe example exist familiar flag force foreign forgetting French global Guardian habits hegemony homeland hopes idea ideology imagined important independence individual interests language liberal linguistic live London major means merely movements nation-state national identity nationalist nationhood natural newspapers ourselves particular party patriotic patterns person philosophy political politicians postmodern present President Press psychological readers represent rhetoric Rorty Rorty's routine seek seems seen sense social society sort speak speakers speech sporting stereotypes story suggested symbols talking tend term territory themes theory thinking tradition United universal waved whole world of nations writes