SG | Nationalism’s Comeback - Identity and Belonging

In times of peace and prosperity nationalism might go unnoticed as a positive momentum in society. But its emotional appeal and mobilizing force can create tensions between ‘us’ and ‘them’ if popular sentiments align with perceptions of threats. Everyday benign, or banal nationalism, to use a phrase coined by Michael Billig,(Banal Nationalism 1995), can turn hot and suddenly bring tensions to a boiling point. What mechanisms are at play in the construction of national identities? What do we know about banal nationalism and how problematic is it? From global citizenship, to cosmopolitanism, and regionalism, Dr. Lajosi- Moore critically dissects alternatives to nationhood in the conceptualization of identity and belonging. From a systems level perspective, she looks beyond borders and puts the future of nationalism’s impact on democratic societies into perspective in light of new digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

Due to unfortunate personal circumstances, Dr. Christian Wicke has had to withdraw himself from participation in this lecture series. Our gratitude to Dr. Lajosi-Moore for her willingness at such short notice to share her wide expertise in his absence.