= Ethnic nationalism =

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= Ethnic nationalism =
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Introduction
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Ethnic nationalism, also known as ethnonationalism, is a form of
nationalism wherein the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity.

The central theme of ethnic nationalists is that "nations are defined
by a shared heritage, which usually includes a common language, a
common faith, and a common ethnic ancestry". It also includes ideas
of a culture shared between members of the group, and with their
ancestors.

While some types of ethnic nationalism are firmly rooted in the idea
of ethnicity (or race) as an immutable inherited characteristic (for
example black nationalism or white nationalism), often ethnic
nationalism also manifests in the assimilation of minority ethnic
groups into the dominant group (for example as with Italianisation).
This assimilation may or may not be predicated on a belief in some
common ancestry with assimilated groups (for example with
Germanisation in the Second World war).

While in some cases the division between ethnic and civic nationalism
is clear (France being the archetypal example of a national identity
rooted in civic and linguistic nationalism), in other cases the
division is less clear, for example with Turkish nationalism.

History
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Herodotus is the first who stated the main characteristics of
ethnicity, with his famous account of what defines Greek identity. He
lists kinship (Greek: �μ�αιμον, 'hom�aimon', "of the same blood"),
language (Greek: �μ�γλ��ον, 'homogl�sson', "speaking the same
language"), cults and customs (Greek: �μ��ο�ον, 'hom�tropon', "of the
same habits or life").

Characteristics
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The central political tenet of ethnic nationalism is that ethnic
groups can be identified unambiguously, and that each such group is
entitled to self-determination.

The outcome of this right to self-determination may vary, from calls
for self-regulated administrative bodies within an already-established
society, to an autonomous entity separate from that society, to a
sovereign state removed from that society. In international relations,
it also leads to policies and movements for irredentism to claim a
common nation based upon ethnicity.

In scholarly literature, ethnic nationalism is usually contrasted with
civic nationalism. Ethnic nationalism bases membership of the nation
on descent or heredity, often articulated in terms of common blood or
kinship, rather than on political membership. Hence, nation-states
with strong traditions of ethnic nationalism tend to define
nationality or citizenship by 'jus sanguinis' (the law of blood,
descent from a person of that nationality), and countries with strong
traditions of civic nationalism tend to define nationality or
citizenship by 'jus soli' (the law of soil, birth within the nation
state). Ethnic nationalism is, therefore, seen as exclusive, while
civic nationalism tends to be inclusive. Rather than allegiance to
common civic ideals and cultural traditions, then, ethnic nationalism
tends to emphasise narratives of common descent.

The theorist Anthony D. Smith uses the term "ethnic nationalism" for
non-Western concepts of nationalism as opposed to Western views of a
nation defined by its geographical territory. Diaspora studies
scholars extend this non-geographically bound concept of "nation"
among diasporic communities, at times using the term ethnonation or
ethnonationalism to describe a conceptual collective of dispersed
ethnics.

Ethnic nationalism is also present in many states' immigration
policies in the form of repatriation laws. States such as Armenia,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Turkey
provide automatic or rapid citizenship to members of diasporas of
their own dominant ethnic group, if desired.

In Malaysia, the Bumiputera principle recognises the "special
position" of the Malays provided in the Constitution of Malaysia, in
particular Article 153. However, the constitution does not use the
term bumiputra; it defines only "Malay" and "indigenous peoples"
(Article 160(2)), "natives" of Sarawak (161A(6)(a)), and "natives" of
Sabah (Article 161A(6) (b)). Certain but not all pro-bumiputra
policies exist as affirmative action for bumiputras, for NEP is
racial-based and not deprivation-based. For instance, all Bumiputra,
regardless of their financial standing, are entitled 7 percent
discount on houses or property, including luxurious units; whilst a
low-income non-Bumiputra receives no such financial assistance. Other
preferential policies include quotas for the following: admission to
government educational institutions, qualification for public
scholarships, marking of universities exam papers, special
bumiputras-only classes prior to university's end of term exams, for
positions in government, and ownership of businesses. Most of the
policies were established in the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP)
period. Many policies focus on trying to achieve a bumiputra share of
corporate equity, comprising at least 30% of the total. Ismail Abdul
Rahman proposed this target after the government was unable to agree
on a suitable policy goal.

In German nationality law, citizenship is open to ethnic Germans.
According to the Greek nationality law, Greeks born abroad may
transmit citizenship to their children from generation to generation
indefinitely. this is also true in the case of the Philippine
nationality law which, has conferred Philippine citizenship on
children born after 15 October 1986, with at least one Philippine
citizen parent.

On the other hand, civic nationalism defines membership as an
individual's duty to observe given laws and in turn receive legal
privileges.

A nation-state for the ethnic group derives political legitimacy from
its status as homeland of that ethnic group, from its protective
function against colonization, persecution, or racism, and from its
claim to facilitate the shared cultural and social life, which may not
have been possible under the ethnic group's previous status as an
ethnic minority.

See also
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* 'Asabiyyah'
* Conservative Revolutionary movement
* Degeneration theory
* Diaspora politics
* Essentialism
* Ethnic democracy
* Ethnocentrism
* Ethnocracy
* Herrenvolk democracy
* Historiography and nationalism
* Identity politics
* Nihonjinron
* Nationalization of history
* List of irredentist claims or disputes
* Stateless nation

Further reading
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* Armstrong, John. 'Nations before Nationalism' (1982)
[https://www.amazon.com/Nations-Before-Nationalism-John-Armstrong/dp/0807896071/
excerpt and text search]
* Breuilly, John. 'Nationalism and the State' (2nd ed. 1995)
[https://www.amazon.com/Nationalism-State-John-Breuilly/dp/0719038006/
excerpt and text search]
* De Benoist, Alain. "Nationalism: Phenomenology & Critique."
'Counter-Currents.com', 16 May 2012.
* De Benoist, Alain. "On Identity." 'Telos', Vol. 2004, No. 128
(Summer 2004), pp. 9-64.
[http://journal.telospress.com/content/2004/128/9.abstract Telos
page],
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140826123926/http://www.alaindebenoist.com/pdf/on
_identity.pdf
online text]
* De Benoist, Alain. 'Vu de droite: Anthologie critique des idées
contemporaines' (2002).
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120416061116/http://www.alaindebenoist.com/pdf/pr
eface_nouvelle_edition_vu_de_droite.pdf
excerpt]
* De Benoist, Alain. 'Les Idées � l�endroit' (1979).
[https://books.google.com/books?id=L0gPAQAAIAAJ text search]
* Esman, Milton J., and Itamar Rabinovich, eds. 'Ethnicity, Pluralism,
and the State in the Middle East' (1988)
* Gurr, Ted Robert, and Barbara Harff. 'Ethnic Conflict in World
Politics' (1994)
[https://www.questia.com/library/1398018/ethnic-conflict-in-world-politics
online]
*
* Jones, Larry Eugene & Retallack, James, eds.. 'Between Reform,
Reaction, and Resistance. Studies in the History of German
Conservatism from 1789 to 1945' (1993).
[https://books.google.com/books?id=dPkLAQAAMAAJ text search]
* Kramer, Lloyd. 'Nationalism in Europe & America: Politics,
Cultures, and Identities since 1775' (2011)
[https://www.questia.com/read/121639396/nationalism-in-europe-america-politics-c
ultures
online]
* Mohler, Armin. 'Die Konservative Revolution in Deutschland
1918-1932' (1972).
[https://www.amazon.de/Die-Konservative-Revolution-Deutschland-1918-1932/dp/3902
475021/ref=sr_1_1?s=books
excerpt and text search]
* Smith, Anthony D. 'The Ethnic Origins of Nations' (1986)
[https://www.amazon.com/Ethnic-Origins-Nations-Anthony-Smith/dp/0631161694/
excerpt and text search]
* Smith, Anthony D. 'The Nation in History: Historiographical Debates
about Ethnicity and Nationalism' (2000)
[https://www.amazon.com/Nation-History-Historiographical-Ethnicity-Nationalism/d
p/1584650400/
excerpt and text search]
* Smith, Anthony D. 'The Antiquity of Nations' (2004)
* Sunic, Tomislav. 'Postmortem Report: Cultural Examinations from
Postmodernity'. Shamley Green, UK: The Paligenesis Project, 2010.
* Venner, Dominique. 'Le Siècle de 1914. Utopies, guerres et
révolutions en Europe au XXe siècle' (2006).
[https://books.google.com/books?id=XshmAAAAMAAJ text search]

External links
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*[http://www.nationalismproject.org/ The Nationalism Project]

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