Definition:
Nationalism is an ideology that centres the nation as the primary source of identity, loyalty, and political legitimacy, often prioritising national interests over shared human concerns.
Usage Context:
Seen in political movements, state narratives, border policy, cultural discourse, and electoral messaging.
Critical Note:
Nationalism can function as a unifying identity, but it is frequently mobilised to justify exclusion, suppress dissent, or redirect structural blame onto external groups. Systemic failures are reframed as threats from outsiders rather than outcomes of policy.
Related Terms:
Xenophobia, Scapegoating, Moral Panic, Identity Politics, Power Consolidation