Nationalism Lecture 4: Theories II Prof. Lars-Erik Cederman Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) Seilergraben 49, Room G.2 Assistant: Kimberly Sims, CIS, Room E 3,

Summary: Gellner Gellner offers a constructivist critique of essentialist theory that –defines nationalism as principle stipulating political and cultural boundaries should coincide –is based on philosophy of history with nationalism as integrated part of modern world –stresses high culture supported by education –includes a theory of social conflict

Theories of nationalism: Main Debates Nationalist primordialism Anti-nationalist ideology Essentialism Constructivism Gellner

Critical reactions to Gellner Functionalism Materialism –Politics? –Culture? Philosophy of history –Nations before industrial society? –Prediction may be possible

Gellner’s functionalism “So the economy needs both the type of central culture and the central state; the culture needs the state; and the state probably needs the homogenous cultural branding of its flock... In brief, the mutual relationship of a modern culture and state is something quite new, and springs, inevitably, from the requirements of modern society.” (Nations and Nationalism, p. 140)

Functionalist explanation Nationalism Industrial Society beneficial effect ? ?

Amending Gellner’s theory Nationalism Modern Society beneficial effect Pre-modern factors Causal mechanisms

Benedict Anderson: Imagined Communities Nationalism Nation-state as “imagined community” beneficial effect Vernacula- rization 1. Print-capitalism 2. Reformation 3. Admin. reforms

Michael Mann: Political institutionalism Nationalism Modern, democratic society beneficial effect Discursive literacy State policies, democratic movements Commercial/ statist phase Religious phase

Other constructivists Eric Hobsbawm: Marxist interpretation of nationalism as “false consciousness” and “invention of ideology”: –Nationalism was emancipatory but then derailed –Nationalism will be surpassed: post-nationalism Karl Deutsch: social communication and modernization Rogers Brubaker: Social closure of citizenship and immigration policies

Nationalism Nations Ethnic communities Essentialist critique Materialism: culture! Historical timing: –nations before nationalism! –history more deterministic!

A. D. Smith’s critique of Gellner “Cultural functionalism” Nations have ancient roots Ethno- genesis Nation- formation Ethnic Communities Nations Nationalism Modern Society need

Ethnogenesis (Nation Identity, Ch. 2) State-making Military mobilization Organized religion Ethnic evolution: Religious reform Cultural borrowing Popular participation Myths of ethnic election

Lateral ethnie Vertical ethnie Nation-Formation (National Identity, ch. 3) Def. nation = 1. homeland 2. myths 3. mass culture 4. legal rights 5. economy

Other essentialists John Armstrong, Nations Before Nationalism Liah Greenfeld, Nationalism: Five Roads to Modernity Walker Connors, Ethno-Nationalism

Gellner’s response to his critics Functionalism Beyond industrialization: bureaucratic centralization “Nations have navels”