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 13
... speakers in Spain or even Welsh-speakers in the United Kingdom. Language groups wanting their own state are not mysterious for newspaper readers today. Such a story bears two messages. The overt message tells British readers something ...
... speakers in Spain or even Welsh-speakers in the United Kingdom. Language groups wanting their own state are not mysterious for newspaper readers today. Such a story bears two messages. The overt message tells British readers something ...
Page 14
... speakers and French speakers, not to mention the small community of German speakers, cannot be a 'real' nation. The Flemish separatists, therefore, are seeking to redraw the map of nationhood in a way which accords better with natural ...
... speakers and French speakers, not to mention the small community of German speakers, cannot be a 'real' nation. The Flemish separatists, therefore, are seeking to redraw the map of nationhood in a way which accords better with natural ...
Page 15
... speakers to resist the Belgian state. It is also the ideology which permits the states, including the Belgian state, to exist. In the absence of an overt political challenge, like that mounted by the Flemish speakers, this ideology ...
... speakers to resist the Belgian state. It is also the ideology which permits the states, including the Belgian state, to exist. In the absence of an overt political challenge, like that mounted by the Flemish speakers, this ideology ...
Page 18
... speakers could recognize this spirit in themselves and in the other. No doubt, the poet and the future lexicographer uttered commonplace judgements as they displayed their patriotic resolution. To be recognizably brimful of patriotism ...
... speakers could recognize this spirit in themselves and in the other. No doubt, the poet and the future lexicographer uttered commonplace judgements as they displayed their patriotic resolution. To be recognizably brimful of patriotism ...
Page 31
... speakers of a language speak in the same way. Thus, some differences of speaking have to be classified as being instances of different languages and some will be classified as differences within the same language. The notion of 'dialect ...
... speakers of a language speak in the same way. Thus, some differences of speaking have to be classified as being instances of different languages and some will be classified as differences within the same language. The notion of 'dialect ...
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