Banal Nationalism Review

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Banal Nationalism ReviewThis book should not be so hard to get, and it definitely should be more widely read - and not just by scholars. In contrast to the oft-mentioned "hot" nationalisms which seem to plague far-off or obscure places like the Balkans, the Caucuses, etc., Billig introduces the concept of "banal" nationalism to refer to nationalism and the way this form of identity politics is reinforced in stable, affluent and apparently "anational" societies, such as Great Britain or the United States. This is not a consideration of fringe groups, but of societies as a whole. Billig conducts an exemplary analysis into how identification with one's nation or country is reinforced on a daily basis in the most subtle and unnoticeable (and thus banal) manner: the weather maps in newspapers or on television which show one's country highlighted in a different color, currency or postage stamp containing patriotic motifs, pledging allegiance to the flag every morning by school children, etc. Billig's point is that this everyday, almost unconscious intake of psychologically loaded signs, symbols and signals can be one factor in explaining how easily people come to adopt irrational openly "patriotic" ways of thinking in times of crisis, whether real or perceived (as anyone who lived in the U.S. during the Gulf War can attest to). There is also a good critique of the dichotomy created between "civic" and "ethnic" nationalism, in that those who insist on this dichotomy usually tend to view the former as "good" while the latter is definitely "bad." Billig points out that both have the potential to become dangerously irrational.Banal Nationalism OverviewMichael Billig presents a major challenge to orthodox conceptions of nationalism in this elegantly written book. While traditional theorizing has tended to the focus on extreme expressions of nationalism, the author turns his attention to the everyday, less visible forms which are neither exotic or remote, he describes as `banal nationalism'.



The author asks why people do not forget their national identity. He suggests that in daily life nationalism is constantly flagged in the media through routine symbols and habits of language. Banal Nationalism is critical of orthodox theories in sociology, politics and social psychology for ignoring this core feature of national identity. Michael Billig argues forcefully that wi

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