Ethno-symbolism and Nationalism : A Cultural Approach

Anthony D. Smith is Emeritus Professor of Nationalism and Ethnicity at the London School of Economics, and is considered one of the founders of the interdisciplinary field of nationalism studies. Anthony Smith has developed an approach to the study of nations and nationalism called ethno-symbolism, which is concerned with the nature of ethnic groups and nations, and the need to consider their symbolic dimensions. This text provides a concise statement of an ethno-symbolic approach to the study of nations and nationalism and at the same time, embodies a general statement of Anthony Smith’s contribution to this approach and its application to the central issues of nations and nationalism. The text: sets out the theoretical background of the emergence of ethno-symbolism in a sustained and systematic argument explains its analysis of the formation of nations, their persistence and change and the role of nationalism demonstrates that an ethno-symbolic approach provides an important supplement and corrective to past and present intellectual orthodoxies in the field and addresses the main theoretical criticisms levelled at an ethno-symbolic approach. Drawing together and developing earlier brief resumes of Anthony Smith’s approach, this book represents a summary of the theoretical aspects of his work in the field since l986. It will be useful to students and to all those who are interested in the issues raised by a study of ethnicity, nations and nationalism. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Introduction......Page 10 1 Perennialism and modernism......Page 12 Classical modernism......Page 13 Primordialism......Page 17 Neo-perennialism......Page 18 Post-modern critiques......Page 20 The ethno-symbolic critique......Page 22 1. Symbolic resources......Page 23 2. La longue durée......Page 25 3. Ethnicity......Page 26 4. Elitism......Page 27 5. Conflict and reinterpretation......Page 28 Conclusion......Page 29 Symbolic elements of ethnicity......Page 32 Ethnic bases and cores......Page 35 The historicity of nations......Page 38 Elites and mass appeal......Page 40 Conflict and reinterpretation......Page 42 Past and present......Page 44 A cultural history of the nation......Page 48 The nation: discourse and reality......Page 50 Nations and nationalism......Page 52 Processes of ethno-genesis......Page 54 Processes of nation formation......Page 58 Routes of nation formation......Page 61 Social and symbolic bases of nations......Page 66 4 The role of nationalism......Page 70 Nationalism as ‘political archaeology’......Page 73 Cultural nationalism and Romanticism......Page 75 ‘Popular’ nationalism......Page 79 ‘The religion of the people’......Page 83 Diversity and unity......Page 88 5 Persistence and transformation of nations......Page 90 Language and public institutions......Page 91 The role of intellectuals......Page 93 Music and the visual arts......Page 95 Symbolic resources of the nation......Page 99 Myths of ancestry......Page 100 Myths of election......Page 101 Sacred homelands......Page 103 Golden ages......Page 104 Destiny through sacrifice......Page 106 Transformation and persistence......Page 108 Conclusion......Page 112 The ethics of nationalism......Page 114 State and nation......Page 117 Ethnie and nation revisited......Page 119 Conflict and change......Page 123 The question of continuity......Page 126 Erosion and persistence of nations......Page 128 Identity and community......Page 131 A neo-Durkheimian theory?......Page 134 Epilogue: Ethno-symbolism and the study of nationalism......Page 142 1 Perennialism and modernism......Page 146 2 Basic themes of ethno-symbolism......Page 148 3 The formation of nations......Page 150 4 The role of nationalism......Page 154 5 Persistence and transformation of nations......Page 158 6 Pro et contra......Page 163 Bibliography......Page 168 Index......Page 188 Social Sciences ETHNO-SYMBOLISM AND NATIONALISM 1 Book Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 9 Introduction 10 1 Perennialism and modernism 12 Classical modernism 13 Critiques of modernism 17 Primordialism 17 Neo-perennialism 18 Post-modern critiques 20 The ethno-symbolic critique 22 1. Symbolic resources 23 2. La longue durée 25 3. Ethnicity 26 4. Elitism 27 5. Conflict and reinterpretation 28 Conclusion 29 2 Basic themes of ethno-symbolism 32 Symbolic elements of ethnicity 32 Ethnic bases and cores 35 The historicity of nations 38 Elites and mass appeal 40 Conflict and reinterpretation 42 Past and present 44 A cultural history of the nation 48 3 The formation of nations 50 The nation: discourse and reality 50 Nations and nationalism 52 Processes of ethno-genesis 54 Processes of nation formation 58 Routes of nation formation 61 Social and symbolic bases of nations 66 4 The role of nationalism 70 Nationalism as ‘political archaeology’ 73 Cultural nationalism and Romanticism 75 ‘Popular’ nationalism 79 ‘The religion of the people’ 83 Diversity and unity 88 5 Persistence and transformation of nations 90 Language and public institutions 91 The role of intellectuals 93 Music and the visual arts 95 Symbolic resources of the nation 99 Myths of ancestry 100 Myths of election 101 Sacred homelands 103 Golden ages 104 Destiny through sacrifice 106 Transformation and persistence 108 Conclusion 112 6 Pro et contra 114 The ethics of nationalism 114 State and nation 117 Ethnie and nation revisited 119 Conflict and change 123 The question of continuity 126 Erosion and persistence of nations 128 Identity and community 131 A neo-Durkheimian theory? 134 Epilogue: Ethno-symbolism and the study of nationalism 142 Notes 146 1 Perennialism and modernism 146 2 Basic themes of ethno-symbolism 148 3 The formation of nations 150 4 The role of nationalism 154 5 Persistence and transformation of nations 158 6 Pro et contra 163 Bibliography 168 Index 188 Anthony D. Smith is Emeritus Professor of Nationalism and Ethnicity at the London School of Economics, and is considered one of the founders of the interdisciplinary field of nationalism studies. Anthony Smith has developed an approach to the study of nations and nationalism called ethno-symbolism, which is concerned with the nature of ethnic groups and nations, and the need to consider their symbolic dimensions. This text provides a concise statement of an ethno-symbolic approach to the study of nations and nationalism and at the same time, embodies a general statement of Anthony Smith's contribution to this approach and its application to the central issues of nations and nationalism. The text sets out the theoretical background of the emergence of ethno-symbolism in a sustained and systematic argument. It explains its analysis of the formation of nations, their persistence and change and the role of nationalism. It demonstrates that an ethno-symbolic approach provides an important supplement and corrective to past and present intellectual orthodoxies in the field and addresses the main theoretical criticisms leveled at an ethno-symbolic approach. Drawing together and developing earlier brief resumes of Anthony Smith's approach, this book represents a summary of the theoretical aspects of his work in the field since l986. It will be useful to students and to all those who are interested in the issues raised by a study of ethnicity, nations and nationalism This text provides a concise explanation of an ethno-symbolic approach to the study of nations and nationalism and simultaneously embodies a general statement of Anthony D. Smith's contribution to this approach and its application to the central issues of nations and nationalism