Contemporary Nationalism

Contemporary Nationalism Contemporary Nationalism provides a clear and illuminating framework for understanding nationalist politics. It builds upon the core theories of nationalism so as to explain their differing approaches, and develops a coherent understanding of the contemporary nation-state and the challenges it faces. This outstanding book shows why and how nation-states are being challenged by the tensions between contending civic, ethnocultural and multicultural nationalist visions, and examines their varying responses. The analysis is illustrated throughout by case studies, which include examinations of nationalist politics in Singapore, Ghana, Spain and Australia. The tensions in Northern Ireland, Rwanda and Kosovo are also discussed. This book brings a fresh and topical international focus to the study of nationalism. It is a valuable resource for all students of nationalism and politics. David Brown is Senior Lecturer in the School of Politics and International Studies at Murdoch University, Australia. He has published widely on nationalism and ethnicity. He is the author of The State and Ethnic Politics in Southeast Asia and co-author of Towards Illiberal Democracy in Pacific Asia. Contemporary Nationalism Civic, ethnocultural and multicultural politics David Brown London and New York First published 2000 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. "To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge's collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk." © 2000 David Brown All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Brown, David, Contemporary nationalism: civic, ethnocultural, and multicultural politics/David Brown. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Nationalism. 2. Ethnicity. 3. Ethnic relations—Political aspects. I. Title. JC311 .B764 2000 320.54–dc21 00–020053 ISBN 0-203-38025-8 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-38642-6 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-17138-5 (hbk) ISBN 0-415-17139-3 (pbk) For Diana, and in memory of my mother Contents Acknowledgements Introduction: unravelling nationalism 1 The conceptual languages of nationalism viii 1 4 2 New nations for old? 29 3 Are there two nationalisms?: good-civic and bad-ethnocultural 49 4 Constructing nationalism: the case of the Basques 68 5 Globalisation and nationalism: the case of Singapore 87 6 Reactive nationalism and the politics of development: the case of Ghana 104 7 Contentious visions: civic, ethnocultural and multicultural nationalism 122