This reading discussed globalization, polyethnicity, and nationalism within World History. The reading discusses the different eras of globalization throughout history and basically tells us that we need to be aware of what history can tell us so we do not make the same mistakes. The reading also relates globalization with polyethnicity. Globalization lead to polyethnicity just as polyethnicity can lead to globalization. Religion is a good example of how globalization can spread through polyethnicity. It lets different people relate with the same beliefs as they try and spread their beliefs to other parts of the world. Nationalism was also mentioned and was described as a reason that polyethnic states around Europe were desintegrating.
The talk of Nationalism through this reading and class discussion brought to my attention the negative that can stem from it. I never thought about how it can be good for your own nation but bad for other nations. World War II was a good example of this and how Nationalism was the reason for the terrible things that happened. Also, I had never really thought about the difference between Nationalism and Patriotism. Now I really understand the fine line between the two: Patriotism is being proud of your background where as nationalism is thinking that no other background is better than yours.
EXTRA CREDIT:
Modern Western society is different from the past, however it is also still similiar in ways. Modern Western Society differs from the past in that modern western society is less barbaric than the past western society. Also, Modern is more welcoming of neighboring cultures where as in the past western society was afraid and felt very indifferent of other cultures. However, this is something that I feel comes and goes in waves. For instance, some cultures are very welcoming of other cultures, however, we still have cultures that are very uneasy of neighboring cultures. I feel that this is something that will come and go but never completely leave. I feel that Modern Western society relates to Past Western Society in that different areas of the world still hold power based what resources they have in there area. This is something that will always be a hot topic especially now with the oil in the middle east.
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I agree with your definitions and line drawn between nationalism and patriotism, but i still feel like they are very closely related. I think that people who have a very strong sense of nationalism will be more willing to follow their governments into whatever atrocities they may commit, just like the Germans followed Hitler blindly in WWII. They became enveloped in their sense of nationalism and stopped questioning things and just followed, which is never a good way for things to be run.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of nationalism I can't help but think of imperialism. How else could you justify to your people going into another country and controlling it. Empires happened for financial and power reasons mostly but it had to be sold to the public. It was sold to the public through the bloated sense of nationalism that was prevalent at the time. It was the feeling that these empires were doing good for these underdeveloped countries.
ReplyDeleteEveryone brings up very interesting points. Patrick, your definitions are quite interesting and like you, I never really thought about those definitions. I don't think that nationalism and patriotism are negative. A devotion to the culture of a nation is positive and to love and support one's country is positive. Actually what Jeremy brings up illustrates the paranoid meme Brin discusses. Fear and anger cloud perspectives and suddenly eveything is being justified by "nationalism." As for imperialism...I don't think that is nationalism but I think once again that a nation might try to justify their territorial and economic acquisitions by proclaiming nationalism.
ReplyDeletewas another example of the paranoid meme. However, I can see how one can conclude that nationalism and patriotism can have a negative component.