Monday, March 2, 2015

What are some different types of nationalism and what are some effects of these types?

Nationalism is a strong sense of duty and pride to a cause or group.  I would suggest that all types of nationalism have two major effects.  First, nationalism can act as a bonding agent between the members of the group. Group members feel a sense of obligation to the group.  The group develops a sense of identity and shared purpose.  


A second effect of nationalism is that it can lead to conflict or warfare with other groups.  In the worst case scenario, it can spawn genocide.  Ethnic nationalism is a deep rooted pride in one's ethnicity.  Ethnic nationalism can be seen as a cause of World War I as the Serbs and other groups wanted their own states. Ethnic nationalism is also at the root of civil war and genocide on the continent of Africa today.  


Another form of nationalism is expansionist nationalism, the belief that your nation should spread its ideals, culture, and policies to other countries through imperialism.  In the past, this was the cause of a number of conflicts, including the proxy wars of the Cold War era and World War I and II.  


Religious nationalism is a firm belief that the doctrine of your faith is superior to others.  It seeks to force people to convert or strictly adhere to a single interpretation of scripture or dogma.  Religious nationalism can result in a loss of basic civil liberties for a segment of the population, usually women.  It can also lead to the development of oppressive theocratic states.   

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