PLSC 463. Nationalism in the World

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Nationalism is the most powerful political force in the world. It can explain why countries come together and why countries come apart. National identity can also explain why people praise and trust those who belong to the nation and despise and distrust those who do not. This course introduces students to the study of nationalist thought and practice. The course first examines the concept of nationalism and other adjacent concepts, and reviews different theoretical approaches to the study of nationalism. From here, the course moves to examine nationalist practices: the origin of the nation, the crafting of a national identity, the practice of inclusion and exclusion, the relationship between nationalism and democracy and nationalism and conflict, nationalism in the postcolonial world and nationalism in the world today. 

 

The course examines nationalist thought and practice in different geographic areas and relies on both theoretical and empirical literature from several disciplines (history, economy, sociology, psychology and political science) tounderstand the power of nationalism in the world today.