Introduction
The modern world is becoming increasingly globalized, reflected in how major businesses, markets, and economies merge into a large international arena of interests, demands, and supplies. The same principle can be observed in social and political aspects since one nation’s goals, and interests are ultimately intertwined with the globe. Thus, nations are imagined communities, whereas states are politico-social, and globalization is antagonized by nationalism.
Main body
It is important to understand the idea of nationalism through the relationship between the concepts of state and nation. The first major concept, which can be used to further the overall comprehension of these concepts, is Benedict Anderson’s nation-states called imagined communities. The historian and scholar challenged the idea of nationhood by stating that it is mostly arbitrary and comprised of similar binding forces, such as city-states. It is stated that certain elements “were central to a sense of “nation-ness”—imagining, restoring, remembering, dreaming” (Bergholz 519). In other words, nations are a group of individuals who share a sense of communion despite not knowing each other. The whole notion is tied to the foundation of statehood, which led to the development of nationhood (Bergholz 520). In other words, nations are imagined, but states are the primary drivers of such arbitrary bonding. Therefore, a nation is mostly psycho-cultural, whereas states are political-legal because the former is comprised of common history, religion, language, land, and culture, whereas the latter consists of government, territory, population, and sovereignty.
Globalization is currently the major force of changes and shifts in the international landscape, which is constantly leaving its mark on national cultures, national economies, and national benefits. It is stated that “while the global era denotes a cosmopolitan vision, economic insecurity, growing inequality in wealth distribution, as well as cultural change and shifts in traditional values and norms have brought about a broader concern that globalization” (Flew and Iosifidis 7).
The main reason is due to the fact that globalization “is associated with a shift of power to transnational elites, whose impact upon common people’s lives and experiences is not fully acknowledged” (Flew and Iosifidis 7). In other words, the crisis of citizenship is rooted in the notion of the disappearance of elements that comprise a nation. National cultures are becoming global, and people are no longer contained in a state since it is easier to relocate and immigrate. Economies are no longer isolated because transnational companies can operate in several nations at once. Even political and legal elements are becoming multinational, such as the EU.
However, nationalism serves as a force of resistance against globalization. It is stated that “social protection has an ’embedded nationalism’ effect, awakening worries that globalization may undermine hard-won provisions, thereby deepening anti-globalization” (Rathgeb and Busemeyer 50). In other words, the erosion of many elements, which comprise a nation, resulted in nationalism becoming more antagonistic to global shifts by focusing on emphasizing the importance of culture, economy, and identity. Populism spread the message of unity within a nation and isolationism from foreigners (Flew and Iosifidis 7). It does so by highlighting the inequalities and injustices of globalization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nations and states are interconnected, but they mean different notions. Nations are people with common elements, and states are political-legal entities. Globalization threatens nationalism by eliminating these elements, which is why nationalism fights back with the use of populism, national identity, and culture.
Works Cited
Bergholz, Max. “Thinking the Nation: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, by Benedict Anderson.” The American Historical Review, vol. 123, no. 2, 2018, pp. 518–528.
Flew, Terry, and Petros Iosifidis. “Populism, Globalisation and Social Media.” International Communication Gazette, vol. 82, no. 1, 2020, pp. 7–25.
Rathgeb, Philip, and Marius R. Busemeyer. “How to Study the Populist Radical Right and The Welfare State?” West European Politics, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 1-23.