Ethnic nationalism facts for kids

Ethnic nationalism (also called ethnonationalism) is a type of nationalism. It means that a nation and its people are defined by their shared ethnicity. This often includes having a common language, a shared religion, and a similar family background.

People who believe in ethnic nationalism think that a nation should be made up of one main ethnic group. Sometimes, people from other ethnic backgrounds might be treated as second-class citizens.

This idea is often compared to civic nationalism. Civic nationalism defines a nation by shared laws, values, and citizenship, no matter a person's ethnic background.

How the Idea of Ethnic Nationalism Grew

Early History of the Concept

The study of ethnic nationalism became important in the early 1900s. This was after World War I and World War II. During this time, the map of Europe was redrawn. New countries were formed, often based on ethnic groups wanting to govern themselves. Also, fascist ideas, like Nazism, focused on one ethnic group being superior.

A philosopher named Hans Kohn was one of the first to explain the difference between ethnic nationalism and civic nationalism. He wrote about it in his 1944 book, The Idea of Nationalism: A Study in Its Origins and Background.

Later Developments

During the Cold War, many former European colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence. This led to more studies on how ethnic groups and national identities affected new countries.

Later, when the Soviet Union broke apart in the 1980s and 1990s, many ethnic groups started to demand their own rights and territories. This caused new conflicts and made scholars study ethnic nationalism even more.

Today, with more people moving between countries, new "ethno-national" groups have appeared. Some of these groups, called "nativist" groups, want to keep out people they see as outsiders. In some developed countries, these ideas can become xenophobic (fear of foreigners) or racist. An example is "white nationalism" in the United States.

What Defines Ethnic Nationalism?

The main idea of ethnic nationalism is that ethnic groups should have the right to govern themselves. This "self-determination" can mean different things:

• Having their own local government within a country.
• Being an independent area separate from the main society.
• Setting up a system where different ethnic groups share power in a country (called ethnic federalism).
• Creating their own fully independent country.

In international relations, ethnic nationalism can also lead to groups wanting to unite all people of their ethnicity, even if they live in different countries. This is called irredentism. It can also lead to an ethnocracy, where one ethnic group controls the government and resources.

Citizenship and Belonging

Ethnic nationalism usually defines who belongs to a nation based on their family background or "bloodline." This is often called jus sanguinis (law of blood). This means that if your parents are from a certain ethnic group, you are considered part of that nation, no matter where you were born.

In contrast, civic nationalism often defines citizenship by jus soli (law of soil). This means you are a citizen if you are born in that country, regardless of your parents' background. Because of this, ethnic nationalism is often seen as exclusive, meaning it can leave some people out. Civic nationalism tends to be more inclusive.

Some types of ethnic nationalism, like black nationalism or white nationalism, are based on the idea that ethnicity is something you are born with. Sometimes, ethnic nationalism can also involve forcing smaller ethnic groups to adopt the culture of the main group. This is called forced assimilation. An extreme form of this is racial nationalism, which is based on ideas about race.

How Ethnic Nationalism Can Cause Discrimination

Impact on Rights

In 2018, a UN expert named E. Tendayi Achiume reported on racism. She said that more than 75% of the world's stateless people (people without a country) belong to minority groups. She explained that ethnic nationalism plays a big role in denying these people their citizenship rights.

Achiume stated that international human rights law says countries cannot treat people differently based on their race, background, or ethnic origin. She also noted that laws restricting marriage based on ethnic or racial groups are often used to keep a nation "pure." She called ethnic nationalist politics the main reason for racial discrimination in citizenship and immigration laws. She said this happens when leaders define nations by "blood ties and ethnicity."

Historical and Modern Examples

In the 1800s and 1900s, European colonial powers used ethnic nationalism to stop people in their colonies from becoming citizens. In Europe, Jews and Roma were also denied citizenship for similar reasons.

Today, migrants are often targeted by ethnic nationalist ideas. These ideas talk about "ethnic purity" or keeping a certain religion, culture, or language. Even countries that have welcomed immigrants in the past have sometimes unfairly blamed "certain racial, religious, and national groups."

A very sad example is the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The Burma Citizenship Act of 1982 discriminates based on ethnicity. This law has made many Rohingya people stateless.

Extreme Outcomes

Extreme forms of ethnic nationalism can lead to terrible events like genocides (the planned killing of a large group of people) and ethnic cleansing (forcing an ethnic group out of an area). For example, the Armenian genocide has been described as an extreme result of ethnic nationalism in countries with many different ethnic groups.

Current Examples of Ethnic Nationalism

In Chile, the Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco (CAM) is an ethno-nationalist group fighting for the rights of the Mapuche people.

Ethnic nationalism can be seen in many countries' immigration policies. These policies are often called repatriation laws. Countries like Armenia, Germany, Israel, and Ireland allow people of their main ethnic group, who live abroad, to get citizenship quickly if they wish.

Israel

The State of Israel was founded on the idea of creating a Jewish nation state in historic Palestine. This was seen as a way to solve the "Jewish question" in Europe.

Recently, Israel passed a law called Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. This law states that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. Some people are concerned that this law might affect Israel's identity as both a Jewish and a democratic state.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, there is a policy called "Bumiputera" (meaning "sons of the soil"). This policy gives special rights to the Malay people, as stated in the Constitution of Malaysia.

These policies include things like discounts on houses, quotas for university admissions, and special help for getting government jobs or owning businesses. These rules were put in place in the 1970s. They aim to help Bumiputras have a certain share of company ownership.

United States

Since the 2016 US presidential election, ethnic nationalism has become more visible in American politics. The ideas of Donald Trump about what it means to be a "true" American have led to ethnocentric (focused on one's own ethnic group) beliefs. These beliefs have influenced how many white Americans vote.

Studies show that among white Americans, ethnic nationalism is linked to negative views on immigration. This is often because they fear that immigration threatens America's national identity, which they believe is shaped by certain traits of "true" Americans.

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