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
... to thank Becky Billig for reading parts of the manuscript and for correcting my grammatical mistakes. But, as always, the gratitude goes much deeper than grammar. So thanks and love to Sheila, Daniel, Becky, Rachel and Ben.
... to thank Becky Billig for reading parts of the manuscript and for correcting my grammatical mistakes. But, as always, the gratitude goes much deeper than grammar. So thanks and love to Sheila, Daniel, Becky, Rachel and Ben.
Page 2
... readers were invited to hang the display in their front windows. Within weeks, the enemy army had capitulated. On 27 February 1991, Bush, speaking again from his Oval Office, was able to announce victory. He spoke of flags: "Tonight the ...
... readers were invited to hang the display in their front windows. Within weeks, the enemy army had capitulated. On 27 February 1991, Bush, speaking again from his Oval Office, was able to announce victory. He spoke of flags: "Tonight the ...
Page 11
... readers as members of the nation. They present news in ways that take for granted the existence of the world of nations. They employ a routine 'deixis', which is continually pointing to the national homeland as the home of the readers ...
... readers as members of the nation. They present news in ways that take for granted the existence of the world of nations. They employ a routine 'deixis', which is continually pointing to the national homeland as the home of the readers ...
Page 13
... readers today. Such a story bears two messages. The overt message tells British readers something about 'them', the Belgians, who might soon not be known as 'Belgians'. There is also an implicit message about 'us', the British readers ...
... readers today. Such a story bears two messages. The overt message tells British readers something about 'them', the Belgians, who might soon not be known as 'Belgians'. There is also an implicit message about 'us', the British readers ...
Page 21
... (Reader, 1988). As the nation-state established a monopoly on the right to the means of violence within its boundaries, so the era of 'unofficial wars' ended (Hinsley, 1986). Henceforth 'Britain' would fight against 'France' in the ...
... (Reader, 1988). As the nation-state established a monopoly on the right to the means of violence within its boundaries, so the era of 'unofficial wars' ended (Hinsley, 1986). Henceforth 'Britain' would fight against 'France' in the ...
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