Summary Of Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities

Benedict Anderson 's Imagined Communities is a thoughtful and interesting look at nationalism and its evolution over the course of the last few centuries. Anderson’s thoughts regarding imagined communities and his definition thereof, that imagined communities are “an imagined political community-and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign” (p.6) pairs nicely with his argument that changing notions of language and the advent of print capitalism are the foundation on which current ideas about nations, nationhood and nationalism are built. Although at times heavy on the historical development of nationalism, Anderson’s main argument, that print capitalism and its ability to unify the masses through a common discourse, changed the way

This nationalism, which Anderson refers to as long- distance nationalism is a type of nationalism that is not dependent on a “territorial location in a home country” (Anderson, 2001, p.42). Long distance nationalism sees individuals identify strongly with the country in which they were born, yet live in another, with no plans on living in the former. Anderson explains that due to the internet, electronic banking and cheap airfare these individuals have significant influence regarding the politics of their home country (Anderson, 2001, p.42).

Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Communities has definitely provided much food for thought. His arguments are well supported and make sense even now, when attempting to draw parallels between what nationalism meant in the past, what it means now and what it will mean in the future. From the advent of the printing press to the rise of the internet, imagined communities have expanded exponentially and if the past is any indicator of the future, they will continue to do so well into the