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 17
Page 14
... linguistic groups, are fragile compromises, which might be torn apart by the next set of crises and insecurities (Connor, 1978, 1993). This way of thinking is not new. In the eighteenth century, Herder and Fichte were declaring that the ...
... linguistic groups, are fragile compromises, which might be torn apart by the next set of crises and insecurities (Connor, 1978, 1993). This way of thinking is not new. In the eighteenth century, Herder and Fichte were declaring that the ...
Page 23
... linguistic minorities in Scandinavian countries (Elklit and Tonsgaard, 1992). The balance between religion and language can change. When the Belgian state was founded in 1830, religious affinities seemed stronger than linguistic ...
... linguistic minorities in Scandinavian countries (Elklit and Tonsgaard, 1992). The balance between religion and language can change. When the Belgian state was founded in 1830, religious affinities seemed stronger than linguistic ...
Page 31
... linguistic boundary, separating one distinct tongue from another. Moments of intelligibility might get fewer ... linguistic meaning until the early modern period (Haugen, 1966a). Previously, the linguistic problems, which the word ...
... linguistic boundary, separating one distinct tongue from another. Moments of intelligibility might get fewer ... linguistic meaning until the early modern period (Haugen, 1966a). Previously, the linguistic problems, which the word ...
Page 32
... linguistics. If it seems obvious to us that there are different languages, it is by no means obvious how the ... Linguists have emphasized that there is no simple criterion for determining mutual intelligibility. How much comprehension ...
... linguistics. If it seems obvious to us that there are different languages, it is by no means obvious how the ... Linguists have emphasized that there is no simple criterion for determining mutual intelligibility. How much comprehension ...
Page 33
... linguistic terms, French and Italian merge into each other, but the speech patterns on the French side of the border are likely to be seen as dialects of French, and those on the Italian side as dialects of Italian (Ruhlen, 1987) ...
... linguistic terms, French and Italian merge into each other, but the speech patterns on the French side of the border are likely to be seen as dialects of French, and those on the Italian side as dialects of Italian (Ruhlen, 1987) ...
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