A Critical Examination of Theories of Nationalism

Toward a New Approach which Incorporates International Factors

Abstract

　This paper examines theories of nationalism, especially ones developed from 1945 to 1980s, aiming for an effective approach that incorporates international factors systematically in analyzing nationalism. It appears that not many scholars have successfully theorized nationalism since not a few of them, in particular whose discipline is sociology, have not orderly related domestic factors with international factors.
　The first chapter will show four stages of the development of nationalism studies and depict characters of each stage briefly. The second chapter will argue three dispositions of the previous literature which will prevent effective analyses of nationalism. The third chapter, finally, will discuss three levels of international context to be considered in accounting nationalism.
　The previous studies likely have three malign dispositions as follows: first, to make topology nations and nationalism, and second, to create a dispute between modernism and a historic view of Anthony D. Smith where there are fewer opposing points between both parties than discussed. It can be said that these two tendencies will lead scholars to investigate into nationalism heavily focusing on internal factors.
　However, not all the researchers in this field have taken a framework of nationstate for granted and considered just domestic factors. For example, John Meyer argues the expansion of standardized nation-states that are embedded in the world polity. Benedict Anderson explains the mechanisms of imagined national communities focusing on institutions that do not root in the given territories. Liah Greenfeld discusses the development of national identities among intellectuals with an international view. The three theories indicate macro, middle and micro levels of international context that will be helpful for researchers to approach nationalism with taking into account international factors.