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. |
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Page 1
Michael Billig. 1. Introduction. All societies that maintain armies maintain the belief that some things are more valuable than life itself. Just what is so valued varies. In previous times, wars were fought for causes which now seem ...
Michael Billig. 1. Introduction. All societies that maintain armies maintain the belief that some things are more valuable than life itself. Just what is so valued varies. In previous times, wars were fought for causes which now seem ...
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... societies', rather than nations; and they have treated nationalism as something 'surplus', rather than being endemic ... society' have frequently ignored the ways that American nationhood is flagged, as school pupils daily pledge their ...
... societies', rather than nations; and they have treated nationalism as something 'surplus', rather than being endemic ... society' have frequently ignored the ways that American nationhood is flagged, as school pupils daily pledge their ...
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... society' or 'primordial ties', which are theoretically posited to be universal psychological states, and not peculiar to the age of nation-states. As such, 'banal nationalism' not only ceases to be nationalism, but it ceases to be a ...
... society' or 'primordial ties', which are theoretically posited to be universal psychological states, and not peculiar to the age of nation-states. As such, 'banal nationalism' not only ceases to be nationalism, but it ceases to be a ...
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Contents
1 | |
13 | |
Remembering Banal Nationalism 377 | 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