Ⓜ️Political Geography Unit 7 – Identity Politics and Nationalism

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Identity refers to the qualities, beliefs, personality traits, and expressions that characterize a person or group
• Identity politics involves political positions or actions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify
• Nationalism is an ideology and movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation, often with the aim of gaining and maintaining sovereignty over a homeland
• Primordialism views national identity as fixed, natural, and unchanging, often tied to common ancestry or ethnicity
• Constructivism sees national identity as socially constructed, fluid, and shaped by historical, cultural, and political factors
• Imagined communities are nations perceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship among members who may never meet face-to-face (Benedict Anderson)
• Banal nationalism refers to the everyday, often unnoticed representations of nationhood in popular culture, media, and daily life (Michael Billig)
• Territoriality is the attempt by an individual or group to affect, influence, or control people, phenomena, and relationships by delimiting and asserting control over a geographic area

Historical Context

• The rise of the nation-state system in Europe following the Peace of Westphalia (1648) laid the foundation for modern nationalism
• The American and French Revolutions (late 18th century) popularized the ideas of popular sovereignty, citizenship, and national self-determination
• Decolonization movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America (mid-20th century) often combined nationalist and anti-imperialist struggles
  • Examples include India's independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Algerian War of Independence
• The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991) led to the resurgence of nationalist movements in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics
• Globalization and increased international migration in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have challenged traditional notions of national identity and belonging
  • The European migrant crisis (2015) and the rise of populist nationalism in Europe and North America exemplify these tensions

Theories of Identity Formation

• Social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner) posits that individuals derive a sense of self-esteem and belonging from their membership in social groups
  • People categorize themselves and others into "in-groups" and "out-groups," leading to intergroup comparison and discrimination
• Identity process theory (Breakwell) proposes that identity is shaped by four principles: continuity, distinctiveness, self-efficacy, and self-esteem
• Intersectionality (Crenshaw) emphasizes the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender in shaping individual experiences and power dynamics
• Diaspora studies examine the formation and maintenance of identities among dispersed ethnic, religious, or national communities living outside their ancestral homelands
  • Examples include the Jewish, Armenian, and African diasporas
• Postcolonial theory (Said, Bhabha) analyzes the cultural, political, and psychological legacies of colonialism on both the colonized and the colonizers, and their impact on identity formation
• Feminist theories of identity highlight the role of gender in shaping individual and collective identities, as well as the intersection of gender with other social categories

Nationalism and Its Forms

• Civic nationalism defines national identity based on shared citizenship, values, and institutions, rather than ethnicity or ancestry (France, United States)
• Ethnic nationalism emphasizes common descent, language, and cultural heritage as the basis for national belonging (Germany, Japan)
• Cultural nationalism seeks to preserve and promote a nation's distinct cultural identity, often in the face of perceived threats from globalization or foreign influence
  • The Québécois sovereignty movement in Canada exemplifies cultural nationalism
• Economic nationalism prioritizes domestic economic interests and advocates for protectionist policies to safeguard national industries and resources
• Religious nationalism fuses religious and national identities, often leading to the marginalization of religious minorities within a nation-state (Hindu nationalism in India, Islamic nationalism in Pakistan)
• Separatist nationalism seeks to establish an independent nation-state for a particular ethnic, linguistic, or regional group (Basque and Catalan nationalism in Spain, Kurdish nationalism in the Middle East)

Identity Politics in Practice

• Minority rights movements advocate for the recognition and protection of the rights of marginalized ethnic, racial, religious, or linguistic groups within a nation-state
  • Examples include the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Indigenous rights movement in Canada
• Multiculturalism policies aim to promote the coexistence and equal status of diverse cultural communities within a single nation-state (Canada, Australia)
• Affirmative action programs seek to redress historical inequalities and discrimination by providing preferential treatment to underrepresented groups in education, employment, or political representation
• Language policies can either promote linguistic diversity or enforce linguistic homogeneity within a nation-state
  • Official bilingualism in Canada (English and French) contrasts with the emphasis on Mandarin Chinese in China
• Citizenship and immigration policies shape national identity by determining who belongs to the nation and under what conditions
  • Jus soli (birthright citizenship) and jus sanguinis (citizenship by descent) are two common principles for granting citizenship
• Commemorative practices, such as national holidays, monuments, and museums, play a crucial role in constructing and reinforcing national narratives and collective memory

Spatial Dimensions of Identity

• Territorial identities are attachments to specific places or regions that can exist alongside or in tension with national identities (Siberian regionalism in Russia, Bavarian identity in Germany)
• Borderlands are zones of interaction, hybridization, and sometimes conflict between different national, ethnic, or cultural identities (US-Mexico border, the Balkans)
• Diasporic spaces are transnational networks connecting dispersed communities to their ancestral homelands and to each other (Chinatowns, Little Italys)
• Sacred spaces hold religious or spiritual significance for particular communities and can become focal points for identity-based claims or conflicts (Jerusalem, Ayodhya)
• Linguistic landscapes refer to the visible representation of languages in public spaces, reflecting power dynamics and identity politics within a given territory (bilingual signs in Brussels, Arabic script in Dearborn, Michigan)
• Gendered spaces are physical or symbolic spaces associated with particular gender identities or norms (women's restrooms, men's clubs)
  • The exclusion of transgender individuals from certain gendered spaces highlights the spatial dimensions of identity politics

Case Studies and Examples

• The Basque Country in Spain and France has a distinct linguistic and cultural identity and a history of separatist nationalism, including the armed struggle of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna)
• The Rohingya, a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, have faced persecution, displacement, and denial of citizenship rights, leading to a refugee crisis in Southeast Asia
• The Québécois sovereignty movement in Canada seeks to establish an independent nation-state for the French-speaking province of Quebec, reflecting linguistic and cultural tensions within the Canadian federation
• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a protracted dispute over territorial control and national self-determination, complicated by competing historical narratives, religious claims, and identity politics
• The Kurds are an ethnic group spread across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, with a long history of struggle for cultural rights and political autonomy, including recent experiments with regional self-governance (Rojava)
• The Sikh separatist movement in India, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, sought to create an independent state called Khalistan in the Punjab region, leading to violence and state repression

Contemporary Debates and Challenges

• The rise of populist nationalism in Europe and North America, often fueled by anti-immigrant sentiment and Euroskepticism, poses challenges to liberal democracy and supranational institutions like the European Union
• The politics of memory and commemoration, such as debates over Confederate monuments in the United States or the legacy of colonialism in Europe, reveal ongoing struggles over national identity and historical narratives
• The recognition of indigenous rights and the pursuit of reconciliation between settler societies and indigenous communities remain ongoing challenges in countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
• The impact of social media and online disinformation on identity formation and political polarization, as exemplified by the role of Facebook in the Rohingya crisis or the spread of nationalist propaganda on Twitter
• The intersection of identity politics with other global challenges, such as climate change, economic inequality, and public health crises (COVID-19), highlights the need for inclusive and equitable responses
• The balancing of unity and diversity within multicultural societies, as well as the protection of minority rights in an age of resurgent nationalism, requires ongoing dialogue, compromise, and institutional innovation