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Nationalism and its study

There is no universally accepted definition of nationalism, nor is there any agreement as to the date of its appearance on the world scene. Although some scholars, notably historians, tend to point to the evidence of national consciousness even prior to the French Revolution, most authorities have taken that event as the beginning of the emergence of nationalism, thus viewing it a contemporary phenomenon. As has been pointed out by Professor Richard cottam, a student of Iranian nationalism, the later group defines nationalism as a “phenomenon of-mass politics in the era of nation state,” as is the case in this study (4)” Likewise, the Marxist school of thought views the emergence of the phenomenon as having coincided with the epoch of capitalism when the bourgeoisies began to integrate the feudal markets into an expanded national unit, thus paving the way for further growth of capital. This view takes a deterministic approach toward nationalism, expecting its spread along as well. In this context, it is not necessarily a western phenomenon, even though it was first originated there.

There is less divergence of opinion in identifying the cohesive bases or foundations of nationalism. There is a general agreement among scholars of diverse persuasions liberal idealists, the advocates of power politics, or utopian Marxists-in viewing a common history, language, culture, and territory as the necessary ingredients or basis of nationalism. However, they are much divided over the inclusion or exclusion of other ingredients such as a common economy, ethnic origin, and religion. The Marxists insist on the inclusions of common economy as another major basis of nationalism, but exclude the last two attributes. By contrast, other scholars view ethnicity and religion as other important components, but attach no importance to the attributes of common economy.

For the purpose of this study, nationalism is defined in terms of a belief on the part of a group of people that they from a historically constituted community having a common territory, a common history, a common language, a common culture as religion, and a perceived common ethnic origin. In our case, the issue is less complicated because all these ingredients are present at once.

As far as the general theories of nationalism and their relevance to the study of the third World ethnic nationalities, is concerned, those espoused by rationalists and behavior list suffer from two major shortcomings. First, both groups of theories are based primarily on the manifestations of the phenomenon of nationalism as experienced first in the west. Second, they are state –centered in the sense that they are geared more often to the state nationalism as contrasted with the nationalism of ethnic nationalities, while conceptually nationalism is an attribute of nation, a natural unit and not of state, a ju4ridical unit or concept. Nevertheless, concepts, themes, and methodologies developed by these theories are, with some conceptual adjustments, useful to the study of ethnic nationalism.

The theoretical study of nationalism is dominated largely by the traditionalists. Sample of the outstanding contributions made by this school include pioneering historical and critical studies of nationalism by Hans kohn, Carlton H. Hayes, and Rupert Emerson. Other representative examples of historical studies which can shed some light on the study of nationalism among subordinate nationalities are work by Inis Claude, C.A. McCartney, Abdul Aziz said and Luis Simon, and Alfred cobban, to name but a few (5)

Although latecomers in the study of nationalism, the behavior lists have made some important inroads is the field since 1960. Among the variety of theoretical frameworks developed by this school. Theory of communication is particularly useful in enhancing our understanding of the process of integration within ethnic societies. Of the outstanding works done in field, the contributions of Karl w.Deutsch are a prime example. (6)

To these schools should be added the Marxian concept which views nationalism as a historical phenomenon whose appearance coincides with the epoch of capitalism. This school divides nations into two categories of “oppressed nationalities” and “oppressor nationalities.”  A division supposed to disappear only with the disappearance of capitalism when replaced by socialism. Although the Marxist analysis of oppressed nationalities was originally developed with a view to colonized peoples, it can still be helpful in understanding the present-day subordinate ethnic nations as well. The major contributions of this school are the works of Lenin and Stalin, which constitute the most comprehensive work among the classical Marxist studies on the subject. (7)

(1)   Richard Cottam, Nationalism in Iran (Pittsburgh, university of Pittsburgh Press, 1979), p.5.

(2)   Hans Kohn, Nationalism, its meaning and history

(3)   Karl W.deutsch  nationalism and social communication (Cambridge, M.I.T. Press, 1966)

(4)   V.I Lenin, Three Articles on the National Question (Chicago, Liberator press, n.d.); Joseph Stalin, Marxism and the national _colonial Question (san Francisco, proletarian Publishers, 1975).