Role Of Nationalism In The International Security (Research Paper Sample)

ROLE OF NATIONALISM IN THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
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Role of Nationalism in the International Security
Introduction
The United Nations (UN) is an example of an international relation organisation that is responsible for taking care of foreign matters like security, economy, and health, but to name a few. At this point, the focus will lean on security matters. Security is a vital aspect for the survival of nations in the world, and so, the international relation will use all that it takes to make sure that they prevent any element that may try to endanger or threaten its security. Several factors have endangered the international safety to the point that has led to conflict between nations. For instance, nationalism has been seen to affect the internal and international security in a manner that it can threaten its security or build and improve the security status. According to Horne (2012) comes out clear on how nationalism played a significant part in facilitating the break of the world wars. Horne argues that nationalism played a significant role because of its ability to make people and nations have the sense of selfishness. Furthermore, nationalism is described according to its two concepts of patriotism and national interest. Patriotism is the act at which an individual is loyal, true and has the full support of his or her country. Patriotism helps to identify one with a particular state as they will at all the times stand and protect views and interests of their countries. However, when globalisation is incorporated, it has played a significant role in the rising nationalism which has impacted the international security. According to Dandeker (1998), nationalism will forever be defined and understood differently by states in the world, and the differences are the ones that bring conflicts between nations.[John Horne,A Companion to World War I (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2012), 21–22.] [Christopher Dandeker, Nationalism and Violence (London: Transaction Publishers,1998), 52.]
When two or more countries conflict from nationalism, it automatically threatens the international security. Moreover, globalization has proved to be a factor that facilitates the effects and impacts of nationalism thus increasing the rate at which conflicts arise. Base on Erwin (2017) studies nationalism in the globalized era where Erwin tries to compare the actions and effects of nationalism in the 21st Century. Additionally, Erwin goes further to try and find out the relationship between globalization and nationalism and impacts of each on the international security. Therefore, the essay will critically discuss the role played by nationalism in the global security and how external factors like globalisation affect their operation and credibility.[Erwin Adlai, "Nationalism in a Globalized Era,” The Westminster Journal for Global Progress (March 2017), 33, https://medium.com/westminster-journal/nationalism-in-a-globalized-era-15ae61904bcd.] [A. G. Hopkins, Globalization in World History (New York City: Norton, 2003), 4- 7.]
Nationalism is the act at which an individual or group of people tend to be so attached and patriotic to their nation. Nationalism is characterized by a series of factors like patriotism and national interest that bind its operation and action in each country. For instance, nationalism is marked by the political, social, and economic aspect of a particular nation. The elements are used to characterize and identify a country depending on the strengths and level at which the characters are influential. The Oxford press group argue that the aspects mentioned earlier are therefore used by a nation to try and maintain self-governance over its market territorial boundaries. With the political element in place, it holds that countries can govern themselves without being forced or led by any third party. The sense of nationalism is strengthened and gains a national identity basing on the widely shared characters like culture, race, political ideology or a belief in universal ancestry, just but to name a few. Nationalism, therefore, comes to be an affair that is practiced by particular states in their interests as it is seen as an advantageous factor in some situations.[“Nationalism,” merriam-webster, last modified May 05, 2018, -webster.com/dictionary/nationalism.] ["nationalism: History," The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, accessed May 11, 2018,/encyclopedia/social-sciences-and-the-law/political-science-and-government/political-science-terms-and-concepts/nationalism/history.]
Globalization, on the other hand, is the international integration of common aspects that are experienced among the states. Examples of the common elements that apply and are used across countries are trade, investment, culture, and information technology. The named factors happen to be common in all the nations which make the states come together to share the different ideas and knowledge they have on handling the aspects. According to Merriam Webster dictionary, globalisation is the integration of national economies of a particular state through various factors that later create an interconnection between global nations. For this reason, globalization is seen to develop a close relationship between countries depending on the political, economic and social-cultural information shared among the activities.["Globalization," Oxford English Dictionary Online,accessed May 11, 2018.] [“Globalisation,” merriam-webster, last modified May 05, 2018,-webster.com/dictionary/globalization.]
Relationship of Nationalism and Globalisation in the International Security
By basing on the definition of nationalism and globalization, it is clear that nationalism is an affair that is meant for only one nation and makes them isolate from the others while globalisation connects the countries. Since the two aspects are playing a different role, it says that at one point nationalism and globalization will collide and create issues between the nations. Godfrey (2008) talks about the kind of struggle nationalism and globalisation have passed through. Godfrey argues that globalisation has created stiff competition among states which makes some countries lose their pride. In so doing, a sense of nationalism sets in where states will try to prove they are better than the other by protecting their dignity. Because of the push and pull, a conflict may erupt between the two states. In such a situation, nationalism and globalization forces get to start to compete to determine the one aspect that is more powerful than the other. In the process of fighting, conflict erupts between the two states thus threatening the international security. Blanning (2003) explains that conflict between the two nations may escalate to the point that may make other countries start forming blocks.[Godfrey C,“The struggle between nationalism and globalization,” newrightausnz, accessed May 12, 2018, /2008/08/27/the-struggle-between-nationalism-globalization-part-1-by-colin-godfrey/.] [T. C. W. Blanning,The Culture of Power and the Power of Culture: Old Regime Europe 1660–1789 (Oxford: Oxford University Press,2003), 60- 259.]
Politics is an essential aspect of the international security to the point that it can determine the state of global security. On the other hand, politics is an aspect that nations use to define and distinguish their nationalism. Basing on Azar (2012) and Blanning (2003) findings on politics and nationalism, it is clear that politics is an important aspect that can either create and facilitate peace or create violence. Politics being an aspect that is advocated by both nationalism and globalization makes politics delicate as there is a possibility of ideological differences that can cause conflict. Politics is a binding factor of individuals in a particular nation who are loyal and patriotic to their political structure. In globalization, Paul (2014) argues that politics is used as a power factor that determines the strength and influence a nation has over the states. When the two ideologies collide with their different ideas and views on politics, it becomes hard to connect and come to a common ground. The conflict created by political differences between countries creates tension in the international security as other states may decide to support either of the conflicting nations which later results in conflicting blocks. According to a research conducted by Sluga (2013), opposing blocks will be formed based on patriotism and national interest from a common ground. When there exists a common interest among the nations with differences, there is a high probability that other countries will join and create a common group that is against the conflicting state. For instance, European Union members stayed together despite Britain’s exit which was seen to have adverse effects like EU disintegration and to cause disagreements among the nations.[Gat Azar,Nations: The Long History and Deep Roots of Political Ethnicity and Nationalism, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012), 214.] [Ibid] [James Paul, “Faces of Globalization and the Borders of States: From Asylum Seekers to Citizens,” Citizenship Studies 18, no.2 (2014): 208–223.] [Glenda Sluga, Internationalism in the Age of Nationalism(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013), 201-233.]
Thotakura (2014) explains the relationship of nationalism and globalisation as fundamentally opposed. For this reason, the two will at all the times have conflicting ideas and actions despite the situation. For instance, nationalism aims at promoting the national aspects and heritage of a single state in question while globalization aims at improving the coordination and sharing ideas in an open society. Critically looking at...