STRUCTURES OF NATIONALISM

The article reviews briefly the theory of nationalism, and introduces (yet another) definition of nations and nationalism. Starting from thi s definition of nationalism as a world order with specific characteris tics, oppositions such as core and periphery, globalism/nationalism, a nd realism/idealism are formally rejected. Nationalism is considered a s a purely global structure. Within this, it is suggested, the number of states tends to fall to an equilibrium number which is itself falli ng, this number of states being the current best approximation to a si ngle world state. Within nationalism variants are associated with diff erent equilibrium numbers: these variants compete. Together, as the na tionalist structure, they formally exclude other world orders. Such a structure appears to have the function of blocking change, and it is t entatively suggested that it derives directly from an innate human con servatism. The article attempts to show how characteristics of classic nationalism, and more recent identity politics, are part of nationali st structures. They involve either the exclusion of other forms of sta te, or of other orders of states, or the intensification of identity a s it exists.