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 6
... sociological genus. Having no name, it cannot be identified as a problem. Nor, by implication, is the daily reproduction of the United States a problem. The present book insists on stretching the term 'nationalism', so that it covers ...
... sociological genus. Having no name, it cannot be identified as a problem. Nor, by implication, is the daily reproduction of the United States a problem. The present book insists on stretching the term 'nationalism', so that it covers ...
Page 10
... sociology. Orthodox theories have preferred to talk of 'societies', rather than nations; and they have treated ... sociological thinking about 'society'. American theories of 'society' have frequently ignored the ways that American ...
... sociology. Orthodox theories have preferred to talk of 'societies', rather than nations; and they have treated ... sociological thinking about 'society'. American theories of 'society' have frequently ignored the ways that American ...
Page 16
... sociologists and social psychologists, have not treated the topic of nationalism in this way. They have tended to ignore what is here being called 'banal nationalism'. In using the term 'nationalism' in a limited way, such theorists ...
... sociologists and social psychologists, have not treated the topic of nationalism in this way. They have tended to ignore what is here being called 'banal nationalism'. In using the term 'nationalism' in a limited way, such theorists ...
Page 38
... sociologists. They, too, have failed to notice the flag on the forecourt. Thus, Renan's insight can be expanded ... sociological forgetting is not fortuitous; nor is it to be blamed on the absent-mindedness of particular scholars ...
... sociologists. They, too, have failed to notice the flag on the forecourt. Thus, Renan's insight can be expanded ... sociological forgetting is not fortuitous; nor is it to be blamed on the absent-mindedness of particular scholars ...
Page 39
... sociological common sense which routinely reduces nationalism to a surplus phenomenon and which forgets to analyse how established nation-states are daily reproduced as nations. If the narrowing of the concept of 'nationalism' has led ...
... sociological common sense which routinely reduces nationalism to a surplus phenomenon and which forgets to analyse how established nation-states are daily reproduced as nations. If the narrowing of the concept of 'nationalism' has led ...
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