Understanding Neo-Nationalism: Theories, Concepts and Methodologies Fall 2017, Elective Course, 2 CEU Credits

Szabolcs Pogonyi: Understanding neo-nationalism: theories, concepts and methodologies Fall 2017, Elective course, 2 CEU Credits

Course description

The main objective of this course is to introduce students into the state of art scholarship and debates in the study of nationalism, and help them to critically engage with and think of contemporary neo-nationalism and populist nationalism. The course aims at familiarizing students with key concepts and theories as well as main methodological approaches in nationalism studies. A special emphasis will be given to the applicability and limits of classical nationalism theories and methodologies in the analysis of contemporary nationalist movements. Throughout the course, we will test the relevant interdisciplinary methodologies through comparative analyses and case studies. In particular, the course will draw on literature from sociology, political science, history, international relations, gender studies, and anthropology, offering a critical and interdisciplinary approach to the study of nationalism.

The course will start with a short discussion on contemporary nationalism. We will explore why nationalism is still an important moving force in contemporary politics and why its scholarly study is still relevant. After the introduction, we well go on to explore the literature on contemporary populist nationalism. We will investigate if and to what extent populist politics can be considered as a novel form of nationalism. Then we will overview the classical nationalism debates, and discuss to what extent the main explanatory framework in nationalism studies (modernism, constructivism, primordialism, ethno-symbolism, cognitive approaches) are relevant to the study of contemporary nationalist politics. More specifically, we will look into the causes and political implications of different types of populist nationalism as well as neo-nationalist mobilization strategies and discourses. Throughout these classes, we will explore the most important research methodologies in the study of nationalism, and their relevance to research on contemporary forms of populist nationalism.

In the second part of the course, we will investigate the intersection of gender studies and nationalism, international relations and nationalism, and anthropology and nationalism. These topics will be covered with the help of three guest speakers who will present their recent research. The last class is reserved for student presentations.

Requirements

Students registered for this course are expected to attend classes and participate in in- class discussions. All students must read all the readings, and present one of the readings. In-class presentations should sum up and critically analyze the argument of the assigned readings. Presentations are expected to contextualize ideas by drawing on literature not listed in the syllabus, and students are encouraged to assess the implications of the presented theories through relevant case studies. In addition, students are also expected to present their book review in the last session. In these presentations, students are expected to contextualize and critically engage with the book they present.

Students are to write an extended review essay (4,000 words) on a recent book related to the course. Possible titles will be suggested, but students are also welcome to recommend monographs for review. These review essays should aim for a publishable quality; if this requirement is met, instructors will provide assistance for seeking out potential journals.

Course evaluation

Class participation and activity: 20% In-class presentations: 30% Final paper (extended book review): 50%

Schedule and readings

Class 1. Introduction: why nationalism matters?

Recommended readings

Eric Hobsbawm: Nationalism in the Late Twentieth Century. In. Nations and Nationalisms since 1780. Program, Myth Reality . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1990. 163-192.

Michael Mann: Nation-States in Europe and Other Continents: Diversifying, Developing, not Dying. In. John Hutchinson – Anthony Smith (eds.): Nationalism. Critical Concepts in Political Science. 2000. 353-374.

Jack Snyder: From Voting to Violence. Democratization and Nationalist Conflict . New York: W. W. North & Company. 2000. 15-43.

Michael Ignatieff: The Narcissism of Minor Difference. In The Warrior's Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience. 34-71.

Ruth Wodak & Salomi Boukala: European identities and the revival of nationalism in the European Union. A discourse historical approach. Journal of Language and Politics . 14(1). 2015. 87-109.

Class 2. The contemporary debate: populism and neo-nationalism

Readings

Rogers Brubaker: Between Nationalism and Civilizationism: the European Populist Moment in Comparative Perspective. Ethnic and Racial Studies . Vol. 40 , Iss. 8,2017.

Cas Mudde: The populist radical right: a pathological normalcy. In. On Extremism and Democracy in Europe. London: Routledge. 2016. 3-12.

Michael Mikenberg: The Radical Right in Eastern Europe: Democracy Under Siege? New York: Palgrave. 2017 (excepts)

Recommended readings

Ionescu, Ghi ţa – Ernest Gellner (eds.). Populism. Its Meanings and National Characteristics . London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 1969.

Cas Mudde (ed.): The Populist Radical Right. A Reader . New York: Routledge. 2017.

Margaret Canovan: Populism . Cambridge, Mass.: Polity Press. 1981.

Class 3. The study of nationalism: classifications and key concepts

Readings

Hans Kohn: Western and Eastern Nationalism. In. John Hutchinson – Anthony Smith (eds.): Ethnicity. New York: Oxford University Press. 1996. 162-164.

Benedict Anderson: Western Nationalism and Eastern Nationalism. New Left Review . May-June 2001. 31-42.

Rogers Brubaker: “Civic” and “Ethnic” Nationalism. In. Ethnicity without Groups. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 2004. 132-146.

Rogers Brubaker: Myths and Misconceptions in the Study of Nationalism. In. John Hall (ed.): The State of the Nation: Ernest Gellner and the Theory of Nationalism . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1998. 272-305.

Recommended readings

Anthony Smith: The Varieties of Nationalism. In. Theories of Nationalism. 1983. New York: Holmes & MeierManchester, 211-229.

Maria Todorova: Is there weak nationalism and is it a useful category? Nations and Nationalism 21 (4), 2015, 681–699.

Liah Greenfeld: Etymology, Definition, Types. In. Alexander J. Motyl (ed.): Encyclopedia of Nationalism . San Diego: Academic Press. 2000. 251-265.

John Breuilly: Introduction. In. Nationalism and the State. 1993. 1-16.

Thomas H. Eriksen: What is ethnicity? In. Ethnicity and Nationalism. Anthropological Perspectives . 1993. London: Pluto Press. 1-17.

Class 4. Explaining nationalism: modernism v. ethno-symbolism

Readings

Benedict Anderson: Imagined Communities. Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism . London: Verso. 1983. 1-46.

Eric Hobsbawm: Introduction: Inventing Traditions. In. The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1992. 1-14.

Thomas Nairn: The Break-Up of Britain. In. Crisis and Neo-Nationalism: Crisis and Neo-Nationalism. 1977. 330-341.

Recommended readings

Ernest Gellner: Nationalism . London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 1997. 108. p.

Anthony Smith: Myths and Memories of the Nation . Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1999. 1-27; 125-147.

Anthony Smith – Ernest Gellner: The Warwick Debates. 1995. http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/gellner/Warwick0.html

Clifford Geertz: The Integrative Revolution: Primordial Sentiments and Civil Politics in the New States. In. Old Societies and New States: The Quest for Modernity in Asia and Africa. New York: Free Press. 1963. 105-157.

Elie Kedourie: Nationalism and Politics I-II. In. Nationalism . Oxford: Blackwell. 1993. 87-112.

Michael Mann: A Political Theory of Nationalism and Its Excesses. In. Sukumar Periwal (ed.): Notions of Nationalism . Budapest: CEU Press. 1995. 44-64.

Eric Hobsbawm: Some reflections on ‘The Break-up of Britain’. New Left Review I/105, September-October 1977.

Daniele Conversi: Homogenisation, nationalism and war: should we still read Ernest Gellner? 2007. Nations and Nationalism , 13 (3). 371-394.

Class 5. The cognitive turn in the study of nationalism

Readings

Rogers Brubaker, Mara Loveman & Peter Stamatov: Ethnicity as Cognition. Theory and Society . 2004, Volume 33, Issue 1, pp 31–64

Rogers Brubaker: Beyond “Identity”. In. Ethnicity without Groups . Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 2004. 28-63.

Rogers Brubaker: Ethnicity without Groups. In. Ethnicity without Groups . Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 2004. 7-27.