Nationalism in the Middle East

The concept of “identity” in a person’s life often emanates from systemized sense of social representations and relations. Actors in the identity criterion have a sense of belonging characterized by a capacity of self-reflection, entailing a process that constantly reaffirms one’s status and differentiation from others. Identity produces consciousness of action and becomes formalized, with symbolic character and recognition found within specific limitations that are confined in a particular environment (Montserrat 10). Therefore, an individual’s uniqueness directly creates a singular person’s identity, which is an essential element in the development of national identity. It is the summation of those individuals’ identities that leads to a national identity. In a broader sense, national identity constitutes of a collective sentiment often based upon the sense of belonging to the same nation and of sharing most of the attributes that make it distinct from other nations” (Montserrat 11). The consciousness of nation formation often remains for long periods of time, despite the varying aspects that constitutes its foundation. Sharing a particular national identity involves a belief in common culture, language, territory, kinship, history, religion, and founding moments in which a certain course towards a particular “destiny” or “fate” is invoked. Such attributes are attached to the citizens of nation-states. In her book, Montserrat Guinernau particularly addresses European nationalism and this study focuses on how her analysis can be applied to the development of Middle Eastern nationalism.

According to Montserrat Guinernau, there are essential factors that entail national identity and ultimately lead to collective nationalism....

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...in the region. Montserrat Guinernau analysis of the European nationalism fails to fit the Middle East case, thus deem a special case that needs further evaluation because initially the issue of Arab nationalism in the Middle East was mainly individual driven particularly by charismatic leaders who are lacking in the region.

Work Cited

Gerber H., The Limits of Constructedness: Memory and Nationalism in The Arab Middle East. Nations and Nationalism 10 (3), 2004, 251-268. Print.

Jankowski P., Gershoni I., Rethinking Nationalism in the Arab Middle East. New York: Colombia University Press, 1997. Print.

Lungu E., Pan-Arabism and the Arab Spring-Ambiguity of the Arab Unity Issues. Politics, Strategy and International Security: 2013. 120-137. Print.

Montserrat G., The Identity of Nations-Introduction; what is National Identity. Cambridge: Polity, 2007. Print.