Globalization's Influence: Weakening or Strengthening Nationalism?

This essay examines the complex relationship between globalization and nationalism, arguing that globalization weakens nationalist sentiments. It explores how increased interconnectedness, cultural exchange, and technological advancements erode national boundaries and identities. The essay discusses the rise of multiculturalism, the influence of multinational corporations, and the impact of global media on diluting national cultures. It also addresses counter-arguments suggesting that nationalism can be strengthened by globalization but ultimately concludes that the forces of globalization diminish the significance of national identity and sovereignty. Desklib provides a platform to access this and similar academic resources for students.

Running Head: GLOBALIZATION WEAKENS NATIONALISM
Globalization Weakens Nationalism
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Generations of observers in political and diplomacy studies have been puzzled with the
link between nationalism and Globalization. The arguments on the topic are as debatable as they
are inconclusive. The essay singles to two different approaches to address the topic: one that
views nationalism and nations as losers of historical time, a long surpassed stage in mankind’s
development which would soon disappear to make space for new structures which are suited
better for increasing the global interconnectedness of the world. The other approach considers
nationalism to be the most enduring and potent political force which is perpetual and will only be
strengthened with the spread of globalization.
The question boils down to a simple conjecture: does globalization in the contemporary
world weaken nationalism, or does it strengthen the nationalist ethos with the aid of extended
networks and mass reach out? The development of new media and the growth of technology
have made it almost impossible to stay hidden within a nation’s boundaries. Companies use this
accessibility to share everything with the world to secure a foothold and initiate expansion to
foreign networks. Several national icons have gained the status of international icons due to the
demand of their products in foreign countries; Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty are notable
examples. People are bound to imbibe in the flavors of multiculturalism with the expansion of
the companies’ networks through media centers and marketing. Universal multimedia like
Youtube as given people the opportunity to extend their horizons and knowledge of other
cultures, of people who are more privileged or unfortunate. Globalization makes it easier for
people to reach out and communicate with each other across the globe. As individual worlds
expand with the knowledge of other worlds, the concept of nation becomes elusive, since people
are getting to know that they have more in common than differences. The understanding of and

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the empathy towards other cultures therefore weakens the idea of nationalism. The contemporary
world with the extensive reach of globalization makes it difficult for nationalism to survive.
Globalization eliminates the barriers to communication, trade, cultural exchanges. It is
because of globalization that the world is remarkably different from what it used to be in earlier
days (Conversi, 2014). The world has becomes DE territorialized with the advances in
communications and technology. Some experts are of the opinion that globalization tends is
responsible for destroying the culture and heritage of different ethnic and indigenous
communications in the world. Globalization for them is a nightmare that will continue to destroy
generations of ethnicity and indigenous cultures. Some impacts that Globalization has on people
of particular nations can be observed in specific examples: eating at McDonalds, wearing Adidas
clothes, drinking Starbucks and watching television series of the western world have become
dominant attributes of regular life in Asian countries (Croucher, 2018). These examples are a
concrete representation of the cultural dominion of the West over the West and it has been earlier
noted in diplomatic studies that cultural imperialism is one of the dominant political forces of the
west, a crucial weapon they used for colonization in the past.
According to Evans “Products and ideas developed in rich countries shape the value and
ideas of citizens of poor countries”. Some national groups have felt compelled to fight
globalization and its towering influence on nationalism due to this dominance. Robertson has
elaborated the concept of globalization as a world that is compressed into a single consciousness
with interdependent nations that have blurred the boundaries of cultural differences and
eliminated individual identities (Roberts et al., 2014). In other words, the world has shrunk down
to one place and all the localities are connected to each other in one way or the other.
Globalization is also identified as the amplification of social relations worldwide linking the

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distant localities in a way that local incidents are influenced and shaped by the dealings
occurring in far-away lands and vice-versa. Since everything is interconnected and inextricably
linked to each other it is difficult to not to be a part of it. Globalization compresses time and
space and that ways this worlds has undergone changes it has transformed economic, political
and social interactions/ relations into a more intensive and faster process generating inter-
regional and transcontinental flows of activity (Halikiopoulou and Vasilopoulou,. 2013).
In broader terms nationalism is sentiments of attachment or a feeling of belonging that
people of a country harbor towards a nation. It refers to the sense of pride a nation is entitled to
have in itself. What can be asserted is the fact that nationalism is an international ideology in
itself, which is used intensively for defending and promoting particular cultures and specific
ways of life. An instance of nationalism is when a person moves countries, relocates in a foreign
land and continues to support the sports team of home country, checking up on the news and
current affairs back home. In a more political context, nationalism is the foundation of social
solidarity and modern society. Politicians use it for promoting patriotism and national identity.
The states proclaim nationalism as the primary goal that aims to further the interest of civilians
in war or peace (Starrs, 2013).
As stated earlier, the relationship between globalization and nationalism can be addressed
with two different approaches. The first argument declares that the influence of globalization
diminishes the feeling of nationalism while the other opinion maintains that both share a mixed
relationship in which one promotes and leads to the other. Pertaining to the former argument,
many scholars have opined that globalization is merely nationalism’s anti-thesis and since there
is only one globe it would not be wrong to assert that boundaries are imaginary (Malesevic,
2013). Since the world is simultaneously expanding and shrinking, falling apart and getting

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closer, the significance of nationalism is gradually diminishing and the importance of national
borders are becoming increasingly irrelevant. Globalization has therefore robbed the power of
nationalism to unite the people of a country in terms of nationality, culture and origin.
Hobsbawn’s view is that nationalism has passed its zenith and its power, relevance and strength
is not what of what it used to be back in the 19th century. The national borders were clearly
demarcated in the past, fostering a sense of nationality among the people. But the current world
has made everything integrated and fast, to the extent that it is nearly impossible to identify
people by their nationality. From the cultural perspective as well, the world has far shifted from
national, indigenous to mixed cultures throughout the globe, which has resulted in a global,
homogenized culture and diminished the spirit of nationalism (Rai, 2013). As the global
community has developed over age, through technologies, interdependence and media
production defies nationalist thinking. globalization therefore imposes several threats on
nationalism beginning from the loss of segments of the sovereignty of the state, the involvement
of foreign diplomacy in the internal affairs of nations, to easy mobility and advanced
technologies. The growing rate of immigration every year, globalization imposes security
challenges and risk nationalism. From the perspective of tradition and culture (Pieterse, 2014)
when a group of people immigrates to a foreign country, they will not only change the social
structure but also affect the demographics of the country which results in a downfall in the sense
of nationality of the local people.
Contradicting both the arguments a little, connecting globalization with nationalism is an
oxymoron. While globalization encourages countries to open up borders for commerce and trade,
with more than one country, nationalism seeks to establish the superiority of one country over
the other. International relations no longer makes the country or the state the sole player. The

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non-state entities like NGOs. MNCs, decision-makers and stakeholders are rising both in number
and power, calling their shots in domestic front and public policy, aiming to make their own
version of a nation. Nationalism therefore gets multilayered and filtered into newer forms
without being restricted to a singular one. The impact of democracy on democratic rules has been
a topic of extensive discussion among scholars. Some argue that globalization attacks
democracy, since globalization has never been a democratic choice over the past few decades.
The arguments indicate that globalization has been a tool serving the elite, at the cost of the
underprivileged, and it has weakened national democracy stealthily.
Conclusion
The paper has attempted to bring together the chief arguments underpinning the impacts
of globalization on the nationalist spirit of individual countries, and as the discussion suggests,
globalization through the ages have systematically diminished the importance and significance of
nationalism. While globalization has helped people extend their horizons and companies expand
the scope of their business, it came with a price. Globalization has deeply affected the diplomatic
practices of nations and eradicated, to a great extent, the idea of states, the culture it represents
and the traditions they are associated with. Scholars have anticipated the momentum that
globalization will gain in the following years; it is also indicative of the fact that more nations
will join in the collective happenstances of the global proceedings in the world.

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References and bibliography:
Conversi, D. (2014). Between the hammer of globalization and the anvil of nationalism: Is
Europe's complex diversity under threat?. Ethnicities, 14(1), 25-49.
Malešević, S. (2019). Globalization and Nationalist Subjectivities. In Modern Subjectivities in
World Society (pp. 65-83). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Giddens, A. (2018). Globalization. In Sociology of Globalization (pp. 19-26). Routledge.
Pieterse, J. N. (2015). Globalization and culture: Global mélange. Rowman & Littlefield.
Roberts, J. T., Hite, A. B., & Chorev, N. (Eds.). (2014). The globalization and development
reader: Perspectives on development and global change. John Wiley & Sons.
Rai, S. M. (2013). Gender and the political economy of development: From nationalism to
globalization. John Wiley & Sons.
Halikiopoulou, D., & Vasilopoulou, S. (Eds.). (2013). Nationalism and globalisation: conflicting
or complementary?. Routledge.
Croucher, S. (2018). Globalization and belonging: The politics of identity in a changing world.
Rowman & Littlefield.
Conversi, D. (2014). Between the hammer of globalization and the anvil of nationalism: Is
Europe's complex diversity under threat?. Ethnicities, 14(1), 25-49.
Starrs, R. (2013). Asian Nationalism in an Age of Globalization. Routledge.