Nationalism is the desire of an ethnic group, a nation, to have a state of its own. Nationalism emerged as a powerful organizing principle for states and social movements in the 19th century and was integral to the wars and revolutions of the 20th century. This course examines rival theories about the character of nationalism and tries to explain its staying power as a political principle into the 21st century. It looks at the role of nationalism in countries such as the U.S., France, India, China, and Japan, and nationalist conflicts in Northern Ireland, Quebec, Yugoslavia, the former U.S.S.R., and Rwanda. The course is reading- and writing-intensive. |