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
Results 1-5 of 15
Page 1
... Gulf War, he expressed the contemporary common sense of sacrifice: "All reasonable efforts to reach a peaceful resolution" had been expended; acceptance of peace at this stage would be less reasonable than the pursuance of war. "While ...
... Gulf War, he expressed the contemporary common sense of sacrifice: "All reasonable efforts to reach a peaceful resolution" had been expended; acceptance of peace at this stage would be less reasonable than the pursuance of war. "While ...
Page 2
... war, waged by nations against the nation, which had sought to abolish a nation, was necessary to affirm the sacred ... Gulf War, the very principle of nationhood was said to be at stake. Both sides claimed that the islands were ...
... war, waged by nations against the nation, which had sought to abolish a nation, was necessary to affirm the sacred ... Gulf War, the very principle of nationhood was said to be at stake. Both sides claimed that the islands were ...
Page 3
... war, the British press largely, and uncritically, supported the government (Harris, 1985; Taylor, J., 1992). In both the Falklands and the Gulf Wars, the rhetoric of nationhood was much in evidence. Protagonists were not fighting on ...
... war, the British press largely, and uncritically, supported the government (Harris, 1985; Taylor, J., 1992). In both the Falklands and the Gulf Wars, the rhetoric of nationhood was much in evidence. Protagonists were not fighting on ...
Page 5
... Gulf War. The term 'nationalism' invites us to look elsewhere for exemplars. In both popular and academic writing, nationalism is associated with those who struggle to create new states or with extreme right-wing politics. According to ...
... Gulf War. The term 'nationalism' invites us to look elsewhere for exemplars. In both popular and academic writing, nationalism is associated with those who struggle to create new states or with extreme right-wing politics. According to ...
Page 7
... Wars indicated, forces can be mobilized without lengthy campaigns of political preparation. The armaments are primed ... Gulf War in the United States cannot be understood by what happened during the moments of crisis. A banal, but far ...
... Wars indicated, forces can be mobilized without lengthy campaigns of political preparation. The armaments are primed ... Gulf War in the United States cannot be understood by what happened during the moments of crisis. A banal, but far ...
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