From Department of Government, London School of Economics, by MARY KALDOR "I consider nationalism to be a political process, a ‘daily plebiscite’, a subjective affirmation and re-affirmation; nationalism will only persist to the extent that individuals, movements, and groups choose to be nationalists. On the other hand, I do not think that nationalism will necessarily go away in an era of globalisation. We are in the midst of a period of political experimentation, as earlier political ideas and institutions have been eroded by dramatic socioeconomic and cultural change. Various political ideologies are currently in competition, including market fundamentalism, global Islam, cosmopolitanism, Europeanism, and, of course, nationalism. Some of these ideologies are forward-looking or reformist, that is to say, they offer a policy prescripttion for coming to terms with underlying structural change, ways in which individuals are expected to be able to benefit from globalisation. Others are backwardlooking or regressive, appealing to an imagined past, and proposing to reverse at least some aspects of the current changes. Future developments will be determined by the outcome of this competition; unfortunately, there is no a priori reason to suggest that the more forward-looking ideologies will triumph over the backward-looking ideologies.
The choice between these two ideal type worlds depends on the actions of individuals, groups and movements. It depends on debates like this one. I do not agree with the critics of the modernist paradigm, which I believe does explain earlier nationalisms, but as a late or reflexive modernist, I am much more doubtful about the future than some of the earlier proponents of the modernist paradigm."
Bill Clinton said, "Hey -- forget all that. I have a better idea." Globalization is the antithesis of nationalism. Globalization suggests that there are no boundaries, just one globe. Globalization would put all ambassadors out of a job, because who are they? --Aren't they just people who shuttle back and forth between those nation-states, which are thought, under globalization, to be passe?
Global transportation was becoming easier and more routine. Communications technology was spreading globally, and led to a global information explosion. Spiritually, some people like to feel that we are all connected.
It is said that some terrorist and regional parties are opposed to globalization, seeing that as a threat to there religion.
It would mean this to those who are the betting types - put your money on nationalism, and forget the more recent globalization, no wonder what happen next, a Flu, Visa Restriction, or any other ban.
Nationalist parties captured power in the Balkans, for example, or in India. Islamic parties are ruling in Iran and Turkey and have done well in elections in Pakistan and Algeria, where electoral victory led to a military coup. In Western Europe, right-wing anti-immigrant parties have increased their share of the vote and in the USA Christian fundamentalist and Zionist groups are increasingly influential in the Republican Party.
