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Other definitions of nationalism:

Nationalism is primarily a political principle, which holds that the political and the national unit should be congruent (Gellner 1983: 1).

Nationalism is an ideology which claims supreme loyalty from individuals for the nation and asserts the right of 'national self-determination' or self-government for the nation (Kellas 1991: 6)

Nationalism holds that humanity is naturally divided into nations, that nations are known by certain characteristics which can be ascertained, and that the only legitimate type of government is national self-government (Kedourie 1993: 1)

Nationalism connotes identification with and loyalty to one's nation, not to one's country (Connor 1994: XI) (where Nation= 'self-aware ethnic group'; and Nationalism= Ethnonationalism)

Anthony D. Smith's definitions:

Nation= a named human population sharing an historic territory, common myths and memories, a mass, public culture, a single territorial economy, and common rights and duties for all its members

Nation-state= a nation which is territorially coexistive with a single state and exercises sole power in that state.

Nationalism= an ideological movement for attaining and maintaining identity, unity and autonomy on behalf of a human population, some of whose members believe it to constitute an actual or potential 'nation'.

See : SMITH, Anthony D. Nationalism and Modernism: A Critical Survey of Recent Theories of Nations and Nationalism. London: Routledge, 1998.

Return to the Theories of Nationalism course syllabus.

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