Customer Reviews

Banal Nationalism

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This book should not be so hard to get, and it definitely should be more widely read - and not just by scholars. In contrast to the oft-mentioned "hot" nationalisms which seem to plague far-off or obscure places like the Balkans, the Caucuses, etc., Billig introduces the concept of "banal" nationalism to refer to nationalism and the way this form of identity politics is reinforced in stable, affluent and apparently "anational" societies, such as Great Britain or the United States. This is not a consideration of fringe groups, but of societies as a whole. Billig conducts an exemplary analysis into how identification with one's nation or country is reinforced on a daily basis in the most subtle and unnoticeable (and thus banal) manner: the weather maps in newspapers or on television which show one's country highlighted in a different color, currency or postage stamp containing patriotic motifs, pledging allegiance to the flag every morning by school children, etc. Billig's point is that this everyday, almost unconscious intake of psychologically loaded signs, symbols and signals can be one factor in explaining how easily people come to adopt irrational openly "patriotic" ways of thinking in times of crisis, whether real or perceived (as anyone who lived in the U.S. during the Gulf War can attest to). There is also a good critique of the dichotomy created between "civic" and "ethnic" nationalism, in that those who insist on this dichotomy usually tend to view the former as "good" while the latter is definitely "bad." Billig points out that both have the potential to become dangerously irrational.

While I love the ideas and observations presented by Billig, he didn't seem to be putting too much thought into those who would be reading his book. I kept getting the impression that he had about 50 pages worth of content, but was required to write 150 pages in order to please his publisher. The bulk of the book is repeating the same things over again in different words and it is written in very dry language. He also seems to tell things in the wrong order. He'll go on and on about a conclusion he has, but wait several chapters before he actually tells you the reasoning he used to reach that conclusion.

Despite all that, he has a message worth hearing, and at least considering. He describes how nationalism is not something that exists only in extreme circumstances, but how it's a part of everyday life that citizens take for granted. Well worth a read. Or at least a skim.