How important has nationalism been in shaping our modern world? Do you believe that the appeal of nationalism will diminish in the future?
Nationalism has been extremely important and influential in shaping the modern world we see today, causing revolutions, rebellions and the constant reshaping of world maps continuing even today. Its appeal is something that I don’t believe will diminish in the future. Many theologians and political commentators alike agree that Nationalism has perhaps been one of the most prominent political ideologies of the modern world “No single political doctrine has played a more prominent role in shaping the face of the modern world than nationalism” 1, and doesn’t look like ceasing to be as influential anytime
Ethno-symbolism defines a nation as a sacred entity which is formed over centuries by ethnic and cultural ties, claiming that no nation or state can exist without some form of pre existing bonds of kinship and cultural heritage. The pro nationalist theologian Conversi defines ethno-symbolism as “an approach which rejects the axiom that nations may be invented”, claiming that “they rely on myths, memories, values and symbols and which, by doing so, tries to transcend the polarisation between primordialism and instrumentalism”6. Ethno-symbolists believe that ethnic ties and sentiments are visible even today in the most modern of nations, claiming that a nation cannot escape from these ties and that a multicultural nation can never be truly unified, and indeed throughout history this belief has been accepted at different times by numerous nations, such as Nazi Germany and Serbia. Anthony D. Smith is one of the leading scholars on Nationalism, with his studies on ethno-symbolism being considered to be world leading. Smith argues that modern nations cannot exist without some form of pre existing ethnic ties, stating that ethnicity is a key component in developing modern