Banal NationalismSAGE, 1995 M08 15 - 208 pages Michael 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
... British Library Cataloguing in Publication data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0 8039 7524-^t ISBN 0 8039 7525-2 (pbk) Typeset by Photoprint, Torquay S.Devon Printed and bound in Great ...
... British Library Cataloguing in Publication data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0 8039 7524-^t ISBN 0 8039 7525-2 (pbk) Typeset by Photoprint, Torquay S.Devon Printed and bound in Great ...
Page 2
... British called 'the Falkland Islands'. As in the Gulf War, the very principle of nationhood was said to be at stake. Both sides claimed that the islands were rightfully theirs, and, in both cases, the claims were made with popular ...
... British called 'the Falkland Islands'. As in the Gulf War, the very principle of nationhood was said to be at stake. Both sides claimed that the islands were rightfully theirs, and, in both cases, the claims were made with popular ...
Page 3
... British in stock and tradition and they wish to remain British in allegiance" (Barnett, 1982, p. 28). The rhetoric did not fall upon deaf ears. Just a month previously, according to Gallup Polls, 48 per cent of the British population ...
... British in stock and tradition and they wish to remain British in allegiance" (Barnett, 1982, p. 28). The rhetoric did not fall upon deaf ears. Just a month previously, according to Gallup Polls, 48 per cent of the British population ...
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... British stock'. But, if one tries to dress the whole 'normal', national status quo in the term, the garment appears to fall apart; the stitching splits; the buttons pop; the customers complain 'this isn't how it normally looks'. Gaps in ...
... British stock'. But, if one tries to dress the whole 'normal', national status quo in the term, the garment appears to fall apart; the stitching splits; the buttons pop; the customers complain 'this isn't how it normally looks'. Gaps in ...
Page 11
... British daily newspapers, focusing on one particular day, selected at random. All the papers, whether tabloid or quality, and whether left- or right-wing, address their readers as members of the nation. They present news in ways that ...
... British daily newspapers, focusing on one particular day, selected at random. All the papers, whether tabloid or quality, and whether left- or right-wing, address their readers as members of the nation. They present news in ways that ...
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