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Nationalism

This article explores the different conceptualizations of nationalism, focusing on the Chinese nation and its contested definition. It also examines how nationalism is used for political purposes and discusses the sources and implications of popular nationalism.

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Nationalism

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  1. Nationalism

  2. What is nationalism?

  3. What is nationalism? • 3 conceptualizations • A doctrine that holds that the nation should command the first loyalty of its people • A movement to achieve a strong and independent nation • A sense of common identity and common fate shared by members of the nation—often in opposition to some “other” outside reference group

  4. What constitutes the Chinese nation? • Definition of nation: a cultural community that is or seeks to become a political community as well • Constructed • Contested

  5. Nationalism as a constructed concept: Change over time • Yinan He • Pre-1949 era (review) • Nationalist ideology • Emphasized post-1937 Japanese invasion • Mao era • Communist ideology • Anti-KMT, anti-Capitalist • Post-Mao era • Nationalist ideology • Anti-Japanese

  6. Nationalism as a contested concept: Who is “the nation”? • Suisheng Zhao: cross-cutting variants • Ethnic nationalism • Han • Pragmatic nationalism • State defined by territorial/political borders • CCP as representative of national interests • Liberal nationalism • Strengthen state through democratic practices • Nativism • Pro-(Chinese) tradition, anti-foreign • Anti-traditionalism • Tradition as source of weakness, pro-foreign

  7. Nationalism as a contested concept: Who is “the nation”? Yang Liwei gets a warm welcome from 150 students from Taiwan at the China Space Center on February 7, 2004

  8. How is nationalism being used? • Political purposes • Source of legitimacy in authoritarian regimes • Nationalism • Making the country wealthy and strong • Defending national unity, national interests • Examples from other cases • Latin America’s authoritarian period • G. O’Donnell “lo popular” • Alternatives • Economic growth • Stability (avoiding “chaos”)

  9. Political purposes of anti-foreign nationalism (digression) • http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2010/10/22/fear-mongering-101-anti-china-campaign-ads/ • http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72834_Page2.html

  10. Sources of nationalism • Popular (bottom-up) • State-led • “The rage of China’s crowds is genuine, and its roots lie in China’s nationalist ideology. The Chinese Communist Party uses its educational and propaganda systems to socialize citizens into a particular understanding of history. Maoist triumphalism has been eclipsed since the mid-1990s by a new ‘victim narrative’ about Chinese suffering” Gries NYT 8/23/12

  11. Sources of nationalism • What’s behind popular (bottom-up) nationalist sentiment • Official textbooks • Japanese • Chinese Shanghai 2005 protest over Japanese textbooks

  12. Comparative context Korea 2005 protest over Japanese textbooks

  13. Sources of nationalism • What’s behind popular (bottom-up) nationalist sentiment • Official monuments • He, “from the mid-1980s, the government built war museums of Japanese atrocities and designated them as patriotic education bases…”

  14. Sources of nationalism • What’s behind popular (bottom-up) nationalist sentiment • Official media • Unofficial media • Ability vs. will to control Shanghai 2005 protest over Japanese textbooks

  15. Sources of nationalism • Role of media • China Digital Times • September 19, 2012 blocked on SinaWeiboAnti-JapanProtests: • - anti-Japan (反日) • - anti-Japan (抗日) • - smash + car (砸+车): Protesters have been vandalizing and destroying Japanese cars. One city went so far as to ban Japanese cars from the road in order to protect the owners.

  16. Implications of popular nationalism • Primary role—domestic legitimacy • Secondary role—domestic influences on foreign policy • He Yinan • Diaoyu Islands • East/South China Sea resources • Oil, gas • Fishing, etc.

  17. Implications of popular nationalism • China's anti-Japanese rallies turn violent • September 16, 2012 6:10 PM • Japan's move to nationalize a group of tiny islands in the East China Sea has sparked massive demonstrations on mainland China against anything associated with Japan, including sushi shops, factories, and Japanese-brand cars. Lucy Craft reports. • http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7421928n

  18. Reading discussion • Yinan He • Popular nationalism constrains the state • Jessica Weiss • State allows popular nationalism as signaling device • Nationalist protest = “mechanism by which authoritarian leaders can signal ex ante” to foreign leaders commitment to foreign policy position

  19. Reading discussion • Jessica Weiss • “Governments choose to • Suppress • Tolerate • Stage-manage • Manufacture (“gin-up”) protest

  20. Reading discussion • Jessica Weiss • “green light” to protests  • “red light” to protests 

  21. Reading discussion • Jessica Weiss • Protest policy as signal to other countries • “green light” to protests  unwilling to compromise • “red light” to protests  value int’l cooperation

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