Nationalism Considered: The SAIS Review Editorial Board

In a modern age often identified by the globalization and internationalization of investment, communications, and movements of people and goods—as well as the expansion of supranational frameworks—another political force has remained ever-present, if not prominent: nationalism. In some instances, nationalism contributes to violent instability within and across nations; in others, it serves as a stabilizing force against stresses on a society. Rather than acting as distinct forces, “globalization” and “nationalism” coexist, and can work at cross-purposes or prove mutually reinforcing. Moreover, nationalism can be a precursor, parallel phenomenon, or response to globalization. The fact that nationalism (1) arises in response to a range of catalysts; and (2) precipitates a multiplicity of outcomes suggests its malleability in theory, structure, and effect.

Wide ranges of societal actors have long appealed to nationalism. Ethnic and religious communities often use nationalism to push for not only personal freedoms and rights pursuant to their identities and communities, but also political autonomy. Political leaderships frequently leverage “rally around the flag” tactics steeped in symbols of nationalism as a means of maintaining and solidifying power over their domains. National governments tend to trumpet nationalism in international discourse, whether directly through anthems or indirectly through foreign policy operations—such as war—that seek to assert the nation-state’s image and power. Although different actors and distinct policies characterize these trends, they share a common purpose: using nationalism as a means of propagating a desired outcome. Here, the concept of “nationalism in action” is paramount.

Recent waves of nationalism face a new set of circumstances. International migration and the continued advent of diasporas have created cultural, economic, and social networks that span continents. Will the international economic system be able to accommodate revitalized nationalism in the global political economy? Beyond the global economy, the fragmentary tendencies of nationalism pose potentially existential challenges to fragile international cooperation on issues such as climate change, trade, and development.

This issue of the SAIS Review of International Affairs, “Flying the Flag: Considering Nationalism in its Modern Incarnations,” explores the dynamics of nationalism as manifested in global societies today, in hopes of providing a critical foundation of perspectives and analysis with which to consider the aforementioned challenges. The issue presents articles on nationalism during the modern age according to three categories: theoretical framings of nationalism; nation-state forms and uses of nationalism; and nationalism that is not state-based or that serves as a counterpoint to the nation-state.

The issue’s first article, authored by Jonathan Hearn, is a foundational piece addressing common assumptions and misconceptions about nationalism and globalization, which he argues are mutually reinforcing processes. Hearn also analyzes the complexities and variability associated with the nation-state as a concept. Perceiving the nation-state as a multifaceted paradigm requires reconsidering its traditional definition. In their contribution, Austin Charron and Alexander C. Diener use the lens of political geography as a means of reexamining prior nationalist theory. They present a critical perspective on the conception of the nation-state, concluding that regional and supranational territorial constructs are important contributors to the establishment and development of nationalism frameworks.

The issue’s second sub-theme considers how nation-states form, evaluate, transform, and employ their nationalism. Toby C. Rider and Matthew P. Llewellyn open this section by investigating the role of nationalism throughout Olympic history. The authors emphasize that the prominence of nationalism in the Olympic Games is due—at least in part—to the event’s global visibility. The critical role of communications and visibility to successful affirmation of nationalism is a theme Emily Blout also evaluates in her piece on the Iranian government’s concept of “soft war” as a communications-related narrative that illuminates the country’s relationship with the West. Both contributions affirm that nationalism is more aptly defined by how it is presented than its conception in the abstract.

The futility of considering nationalism in a vacuum derives from the fact that the nationalism of a...