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 31
... dialect of Occitan and whether the inhabitants of San Mateo really spoke a variant of Catalan. We assume the reality ... dialect' becomes crucial to maintain the idea of separate languages: it seems to account for the fact that not all ...
... dialect of Occitan and whether the inhabitants of San Mateo really spoke a variant of Catalan. We assume the reality ... dialect' becomes crucial to maintain the idea of separate languages: it seems to account for the fact that not all ...
Page 32
... dialects', a term which almost invariably carries a pejorative meaning. As Haugen (1966a) suggested, a 'dialect' is frequently a language which did not succeed politically: for example, Piedmontese was relegated to the status of dialect ...
... dialects', a term which almost invariably carries a pejorative meaning. As Haugen (1966a) suggested, a 'dialect' is frequently a language which did not succeed politically: for example, Piedmontese was relegated to the status of dialect ...
Page 33
... dialects, have followed the politics of state-making. Where national boundaries are established, then, the differences ... dialect (Petrosino, 1992). More dramatically, the Turkish government officially denies that its Kurdish citizens ...
... dialects, have followed the politics of state-making. Where national boundaries are established, then, the differences ... dialect (Petrosino, 1992). More dramatically, the Turkish government officially denies that its Kurdish citizens ...
Page 34
... dialect into language. The power of writing down a way of speaking should not be underestimated: it provides material evidence for the claim that a separate language exists. In order to highlight differences from the 'official ...
... dialect into language. The power of writing down a way of speaking should not be underestimated: it provides material evidence for the claim that a separate language exists. In order to highlight differences from the 'official ...
Page 35
... dialect'. Notions of language and dialect are not the exclusive property of 'extremists', who pursue narrow national dreams. They are part of 'our' common sense. This has methodological and political implications. Nations may be ...
... dialect'. Notions of language and dialect are not the exclusive property of 'extremists', who pursue narrow national dreams. They are part of 'our' common sense. This has methodological and political implications. Nations may be ...
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