Prone to Violence FROM THE French Revolution to contemporary Iraq, the beginning phase of democratization in unsettled circumstances has often spurred a rise in militant nationalism. Democracy means rule by the people, but when territorial control and popular loyalties are in flux, a prior question has to be settled: Which people will form the nation? Nationalist politicians vie for popular support to answer that question in a way that suits their purposes. When groups are at loggerheads and the rules guiding domestic politics are unclear, the answer is more often based on a test of force and political manipulation than on democratic procedures.
posted by Postroad on Jan 7, 2006 - 17 comments

War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning The AC130 video thread yesterday got me interested in this book. The author - a veteran New York Times war correspondent - argues that, to many people, war provides a purpose for living; allowing individuals to rise above regular life and participate in a noble cause. He discusses nationalism, the wartime silencing of intellectuals and artists, the ways in which even a supposedly skeptical press glorifies the battlefield and other universal features of war, arguing not for pacifism but for responsibility and humility on the part of those who wage war.
posted by Zombie on Dec 18, 2002 - 17 comments

Warwick university has banned England flags from its campus for the duration of the world cup. Does this tell us anything about tolerance, nationalism and patriotism in a multi cultural society?
posted by Fat Buddha on May 23, 2002 - 25 comments

Florida company tells its 850 employees, there is no place for patriotism in our office Although the memo from its CEO Bill Schrempf called displaying American flags nationalism (not patriotism). Wouldn't it be great to see the 850 workers stage a patriotic "blue flu" sometime in the near future. Doesn't Mr. Schrempf realize the crisis that this country is going through?
posted by Oxydude on Sep 16, 2001 - 39 comments

Fosters Beer's new site and ad campaign is a ripoff/parody of another certain beer ad campaign. What's with the small country pride? Tired of the Americanization of the world? Or just the (American) corporatization of the globe?
posted by mathowie on Sep 14, 2000 - 20 comments