Ethnic Nationalism: Ethnic Nationalism: Pakistan and IndiaPakistan and India

What is Nationalism? What is Nationalism?

Anthony Smith: ‘Nationalism provides Anthony Smith: ‘Nationalism provides perhaps the most compelling identity perhaps the most compelling identity myth in the modern world’ myth in the modern world’

In its broadest sense: Nationalism is In its broadest sense: Nationalism is simply an ideological movement that simply an ideological movement that draws upon national identity in order draws upon national identity in order to achieve certain political goalsto achieve certain political goals– Is it a negative or positive phenomenon? Is it a negative or positive phenomenon?

NationalismsNationalisms

Nationalism is such a complex Nationalism is such a complex phenomenon that it may be phenomenon that it may be better to think in terms of better to think in terms of nationalisms.nationalisms.

Broadly, nationalism can be Broadly, nationalism can be divided into two sub-categories: divided into two sub-categories: civic and ethnic nationalism.civic and ethnic nationalism.

Civic NationalismCivic Nationalism

Often seen as a set of state-Often seen as a set of state-building practices, concerned with building practices, concerned with the political, economic, and the political, economic, and cultural systems that serve to cultural systems that serve to bind people together. bind people together.

Ethnic Nationalism Ethnic Nationalism

Replaces the formal language of civic Replaces the formal language of civic nationalism (rights and systems) with nationalism (rights and systems) with the language of ‘belonging’. the language of ‘belonging’. – Thus, what makes the nation a place to Thus, what makes the nation a place to

which people feel they belong is not the which people feel they belong is not the result of shared rights, but of people’s result of shared rights, but of people’s pre-existing ethnic characteristics: their pre-existing ethnic characteristics: their language, religion, customs and language, religion, customs and traditions. traditions.

How is nationalistic How is nationalistic sentiment created? sentiment created? What type of nationalism is What type of nationalism is

predominant in the US? predominant in the US? Where do people in the US Where do people in the US

develop a sense of nationalism? develop a sense of nationalism? What are the roles of symbols and What are the roles of symbols and

representations in shaping a representations in shaping a sense of nationalism? sense of nationalism?

Precolonial South AsiaPrecolonial South Asia

Prior to British arrival much of Prior to British arrival much of south Asia was under Mogul rulesouth Asia was under Mogul rule– Mogul’s were Turko-Persian MuslimsMogul’s were Turko-Persian Muslims– The Moguls left a unique heritage of The Moguls left a unique heritage of

architecture, art, literature, and architecture, art, literature, and linguistics.linguistics.

– Mogul rule left an indelible mark on Mogul rule left an indelible mark on the largely Hindu cultural complex of the largely Hindu cultural complex of the region. the region.

Colonialism: Colonialism: Solidifying ethnic Solidifying ethnic differencesdifferences The British had a strong The British had a strong

presence in the region by presence in the region by 1750. 1750.

Divide a rule tactics: Divide a rule tactics: Often supported the Often supported the interests of minority interests of minority populations in order to populations in order to weaken the power of the weaken the power of the majority.majority.

British intentionally British intentionally heightened tensions heightened tensions between Muslims and between Muslims and Hindus in order to create Hindus in order to create a role for themselves as a role for themselves as benevolent mediator. benevolent mediator.

The Partition The Partition

After centuries of divide After centuries of divide and rule tactics, elite and rule tactics, elite Muslims feared that Muslims feared that independence would independence would undermine there political undermine there political power because the power because the majority of the region is majority of the region is Hindu. With British support Hindu. With British support they advocated for a they advocated for a partitioning of British India partitioning of British India along ethnic lines after along ethnic lines after decolonization in 1947.decolonization in 1947.– As a result more than 8 As a result more than 8

million people were forced million people were forced from their homes and from their homes and more than a million people more than a million people lost their lives. lost their lives.

New Nations New New Nations New NationalismsNationalisms India was divided into India was divided into

India and East and West India and East and West Pakistan (later Pakistan Pakistan (later Pakistan and Bangladesh).and Bangladesh).

Both countries Both countries developed secular developed secular constitutions: This constitutions: This suggests that despite suggests that despite being formed along being formed along ethnic lines the new ethnic lines the new countries sought to gain countries sought to gain legitimacy through forms legitimacy through forms of civic nationalism. Yet of civic nationalism. Yet ethnic nationalisms are ethnic nationalisms are powerful forces in the powerful forces in the region region

Hindu NationalismHindu Nationalism

World’s most populous World’s most populous democracy.democracy.

The secular constitution in The secular constitution in India has undermined India has undermined much of the political much of the political power of middle and upper power of middle and upper caste groups. caste groups.

Hindu nationalism is Hindu nationalism is predominantly supported predominantly supported by men from these upper by men from these upper groups who feel groups who feel threatened by the threatened by the extension of a caste based extension of a caste based quota system for quota system for government jobs and for government jobs and for seats in the universities. seats in the universities.

Muslim Nationalism Muslim Nationalism

Muslim nationalism Muslim nationalism in Pakistan has in Pakistan has been fuelled by a been fuelled by a number of issues:number of issues:– India’s control of India’s control of

Kashmir.Kashmir.– Perceived threats to Perceived threats to

the Muslim faith the Muslim faith from the “West” from the “West”

– The presence of the The presence of the Mujahideen in Mujahideen in Pakistan. Pakistan.

Ethnic Nationalism and Ethnic Nationalism and Nuclear WarNuclear War Despite a long history of Despite a long history of

peaceful coexistence, the peaceful coexistence, the ethnic divisions between ethnic divisions between Hindus and Muslims in Hindus and Muslims in South Asia have grown South Asia have grown increasingly powerful.increasingly powerful.

The colonial experience in The colonial experience in this region helped to create this region helped to create a strong distrust between a strong distrust between Hindus and Muslims. Hindus and Muslims.

The rise of ethnic The rise of ethnic nationalisms in the nations nationalisms in the nations of South Asia poses a of South Asia poses a significant threat to global significant threat to global peace and security.peace and security.– Both Pakistan and India Both Pakistan and India

had developed and tested had developed and tested nuclear weapons by 1998. nuclear weapons by 1998.