Bringing the State Back into the Sociology of Nationalism: The Persona Ficta Is Political

Abstract

This article re-examines two key questions from the sociology of nationalism – why nationalism resonates emotionally and to what extent nations are socially salient – and the implications of these for a sense of peoplehood and collective political agency. The particular focus is on the state. Instead of conflating statehood with nationhood, or seeking to expose it as illusory, sociologists should consider how the state – imagined and experienced as a permanent, trans-historical fixture structuring public power and authority – has crucial conditioning effects on society and politics. It will be posited that statehood is a more useful concept than nationhood for explaining the resonance and salience ascribed to nationalism and nations. Whether we favour reinvigorating or abolishing nationalism, the implications of this argument are profound, with contemporary cosmopolitan sociology in particular suffering analytically and prescriptively from a failure to recognise its tacit methodological statism.

Migration and partisan identification as British Unionists or Irish Nationalists in Northern Ireland

“…Despite the importance of nations and nation-states for individual identities, societies, and international relations in an increasingly globalized world, such concepts continue to defy coherent definitions (Chernilo, 2020;Hobsbawm, 1994;Leddy-Owen, 2020). Ideas about nationhood can alternatively be based on history, ethnicity, religion, language, customs, geographical proximity and/or shared civic values (e.g.…”

“…Indeed, the ambiguity surrounding the ‘true’ nature of nations may have enabled their political and cultural dominance around the world (Chernilo, 2020). The nation–state is of particular importance in this respect as the organisational structure that legitimises or de-legitimises claims to nationhood, provides the legal and executive framework of law and order, social welfare and civil rights within its borders and represents the sovereign nation in the international context (Chernilo, 2020; Leddy-Owen, 2020).…”

Teoriler Işığında Devletin Dönüşümü ve COVID-19 Sonrası Dünyadaki Durumu: Sosyolojik Bir Yaklaşım

“…dışındaki örgütler, dinler, kamuoyu gücü, terörist gruplar gibi. Yine de devlete hala ihtiyaç olduğu görüşü baskındır: Çünkü günümüzde giderek artan ırkçılığa karşı egemen devletlerin üreteceği siyasete ihtiyaç bulunmaktadır(Leddy-Owen, 2020: 1101.4 Devlete Klasik YaklaşımlarGünümüzün modern devletleriyle feodal devletlerin yapısı, dinamikleri ve oluşma biçimleri farklıdır. Modern devletlerin ortaya çıktığı ilk dönemlerde ortaya atılan üç büyük teoride ise devlet üç farklı yaklaşımla değerlendirilmiştir.…”