Week 5: The Imagined Community:
Nationalism:
• The concept of nationalism can be defined as a common identity formed between people (Okoth, 2006: 1).
• Nationalism was previously viewed as an unpredictable and dangerous force (Chaterjee, 1993: 3).
• Nationalism is a product of the political history of Europe (Chaterjee, 1993: 4).
• CLASS QUESTION: Do you think that the Western countries had a reason to fear the phenomenon of nationalism?
Imagined Community:
• A nation is a socially constructed community, which is imagined by the people who view themselves as a part of that collection.
• A Nation:
- A nation is, in essence, an imagined political community, both as characteristically sovereign and limited (Anderson, 1983; 6).
- It is imagined …show more content…
• Chaterjee criticises Anderson’s point that the forces of imagination in the ‘imagined community’ are derived from Western influence, thus making them secondary forces He states “Even our imaginations must remain forever colonised” (Chaterjee, 1993: 5).
• CLASS QUESTION: Do you agree with Cherjee or Anderson regarding the Western influence on the ‘imagined community’?
• Chaterjee argues that the colonised society can be divided into two domains: the material and the spiritual domain (Chaterjee, 1993: 6):
1. Material domain:
- The domain of the ‘outside’ of the economy consists of science and technology (Chaterjee, 1993: 6).
- In this domain, the West had proved its superiority and the East had failed. The accomplishments of the West are studied (Chaterjee, 1993: 6).
- CLASS QUESTION: What do you think would fit into the material domain?
2. Spiritual domain:
- The ‘inner domain’ consists of the roots of cultural identity. In this domain, the nation maintains its sovereignty, even if it is controlled by a colonial power (Chaterjee, 1993:
Nationalism:
• The concept of nationalism can be defined as a common identity formed between people (Okoth, 2006: 1).
• Nationalism was previously viewed as an unpredictable and dangerous force (Chaterjee, 1993: 3).
• Nationalism is a product of the political history of Europe (Chaterjee, 1993: 4).
• CLASS QUESTION: Do you think that the Western countries had a reason to fear the phenomenon of nationalism?
Imagined Community:
• A nation is a socially constructed community, which is imagined by the people who view themselves as a part of that collection.
• A Nation:
- A nation is, in essence, an imagined political community, both as characteristically sovereign and limited (Anderson, 1983; 6).
- It is imagined …show more content…
• Chaterjee criticises Anderson’s point that the forces of imagination in the ‘imagined community’ are derived from Western influence, thus making them secondary forces He states “Even our imaginations must remain forever colonised” (Chaterjee, 1993: 5).
• CLASS QUESTION: Do you agree with Cherjee or Anderson regarding the Western influence on the ‘imagined community’?
• Chaterjee argues that the colonised society can be divided into two domains: the material and the spiritual domain (Chaterjee, 1993: 6):
1. Material domain:
- The domain of the ‘outside’ of the economy consists of science and technology (Chaterjee, 1993: 6).
- In this domain, the West had proved its superiority and the East had failed. The accomplishments of the West are studied (Chaterjee, 1993: 6).
- CLASS QUESTION: What do you think would fit into the material domain?
2. Spiritual domain:
- The ‘inner domain’ consists of the roots of cultural identity. In this domain, the nation maintains its sovereignty, even if it is controlled by a colonial power (Chaterjee, 1993: