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Understanding National Symbols and Identity - A Comparative Study

Explore how national symbols play a crucial role in shaping national identity, unity, and division, especially in new states like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, and Norway. Understand the complexities of national symbolism and its impact on creating a sense of belonging. Learn about the significance of flags, banal nationalism, and the interplay between symbols and daily life routines.

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Understanding National Symbols and Identity - A Comparative Study

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  1. National symbols Unity and Division SEU2310

  2. Kolstø • National identity is learnt, especially thru audio-visual aids • National symbols are interactive aids (participatory) • National symbols reify AND essentialize nations • Example of the Pledge of Allegiance • National symbols are not always unifying symbols • Difference between symbols in newly established states and old states

  3. Kolstø (con’t) • Anthony D. Smith: symbols rooted in a cultural past vs. newly invented symbols • Michael Billig: flag waved vs. flag unwaved • In new nations, national symbols can function as a battlefield for political conflicts • New states are weaker institutionally/economically • National symbols in new states have to fulfill a much more difficult task → they need to create national identity and allegiance

  4. Bosnia and Hercegovina

  5. Russia

  6. Norway

  7. Kolstø (con’t) • Symbols can be filled with a variety of content/that content may change • You can’t simply find examples of national symbol use, you need to find what they mean in the contemporary context • If symbols are used in connection with moments of pride, joy, etc; good feeling may rub off on these national symbols (esp, in the case of sports)

  8. Banal nationalism Chapters 3 & 5

  9. Remembering and Forgetting • National identity remembered b/c it is embedded in routines of daily life that constantly “flag” nationhood • Numerous, familiar and operate mindlessly • Double forgetting • Forgetting as an active process • Ideological pattern: “our” nationalism is forgotten, while the “irrationality” of nationalism projected onto others

  10. Flags • Signaling vs. Symbolic function • Essential info/symbolic content • Most national flags do the latter • Waved vs. Unwaved flags (banal reminders) • Magazine cover/national products • Noticed vs. Unnoticed flags • In established nation-states (w/o internal challenge), flags often backgrounded • Mindful ↔ Mindless

  11. Hot vs. Banal nationalism • Hot: creates or threatens nation-states • Exceptional, emotionally charged • Banal: maintains naturalness of nation-state • Everyday, passive • National days set aside to wave flags • What about all the days in between? • People don’t cease being national citizens and the nation-state doesn’t disappear

  12. Ours vs. Theirs • The nation-state celebrates itself daily • Sacred becomes part of everyday life • Even saluted flags seem routine • “Our” nationalism presented as Patriotism • “Fanatical” patriotism? • Pride, loyalty • Doing the political business of patriotism

  13. Banal Words • National assumptions in “the people”, “the country”, “society”, “we”, “our”, “this”, “here” • Politicians argue about who “we” are, not that there is a “we” • They evoke the whole nation as their audience • Political discourse grounded in national context • Not just the political right, also the left • Politicians represent the nation (in two ways) • Politicians personify the nation • “Still”, “again”/protecting and re-claiming

  14. Media • National newspapers • Same newspapers across the country • Presented as if it were for a universal audience • Naming the country as a natural, bounded unit • Naming things in national terms • Perceiving readers/listeners to be national • Weather maps • “Here”, the country

  15. Sports • Overt flag waving • Commonplace stereotypes of nation, place and masculinity • Identification with national athletes • Our victories/our heroes • Parallels between sport and war • Shooting, battling, attacking • National politicians attend games and support national teams

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