ANSO 374 Nationalism, Identity, and Belonging

wo world wars engulfed large areas of the world and impacted large populations inside and outside Europe. In the post-World War II era, with the rise of international organizations and globalization, many argued that we have moved into a new epoch and context in which traditional nation-states will increasingly lose their power. These thinkers were proven wrong. The rise of nationalist movements which promoted discourses of exclusion and self-determination, at times through violent means, shows how nation-states, their border and boundaries, and ideologies of nationalism, are here to stay as the major geopolitical actors.

This course, through a historical lens, investigates the scholarly debates around nationalism and nation-building processes to learn: What are nations, and what is nationalism? How are nations built and preserved? What role do history, memory and law play in these processes? How do nationalism and national belonging manifest themselves in our daily practices? What is the relationship between national identity and citizenship? What role do borders and boundaries play in nation-building projects?