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Nationalism, Culture and the End of Civilization?

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Nationalisms Old and New

Part of the book series: Explorations in Sociology ((EIS))

Abstract

In the second half of the twentieth century the term ‘culture’, and indeed the terminology of culture, has become dominant in much academic and popular debate. Scholars of nationalism have repeatedly used ‘culture’ as a defining characteristic of national identity. Smith, for example, says ‘... we cannot understand nations and nationalism simply as an ideology or form of politics but must treat them as cultural phenomena as well’ (Smith, 1991: vii). He goes on to tell us that the study of national identity must be

… extended to include a specific language, sentiments and symbolism … we cannot begin to understand the power and appeal of nationalism as a political force without grounding our analysis in a wider perspective whose focus is national identity treated as a collective cultural phenomenon.

(Smith, 1991: vii)

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Authors
  1. Noel Parry
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  2. José Parry
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Reading, UK

    Kevin J. Brehony (Senior Lecturer in Education) & Naz Rassool (Lecturer in Education) (Senior Lecturer in Education) &  (Lecturer in Education)

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© 1999 British Sociological Association

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Parry, N., Parry, J. (1999). Nationalism, Culture and the End of Civilization?. In: Brehony, K.J., Rassool, N. (eds) Nationalisms Old and New. Explorations in Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-27627-1_12

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