Blood and soil: deconstructing populist myths of fixed national and cultural identities by problematising the teaching of national sentiment

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Abstract

Our paper challenges the annexation of national and cultural identity and belonging for political ends. We argue the discourses are facile, manipulative, and covert propaganda. We begin by deconstructing the narrative of a primordial essentialist conceptualisation of national identity, highlighting how it is used by populist figures to project blame on the most marginalised of society: refugees and migrants. Then we show how the myth of a fixed national identity is co-opted by populists; in particular we look at David Miller’s ethical communities justification for the gradation of duties owed to fellow-nationals as being different from, and more extensive than duties owed to persons in general. Next, we address John White’s claim that national sentiment should be taught in the National Curriculum by arguing that White’s humdrum links to others in one’s community, presupposes a single community. However, it's questionable whether such a community even exists at the town, or city level. Rather, our identities are maintained and produced in particular through social interaction with significant others, emotionally ‘close’ to us from childhood onwards (Berger and Luckmann, 1966). In the final section we call for the problematisation of national sentiment in teaching to counter the essentialist interpretation of national identity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages1-16
Number of pages16
Publication statusPublished - 31 Mar 2023
EventPhilosophy of Education Society of Great Britain Annual Conference 2023 - New College, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
Duration: 31 Mar 20232 Apr 2023
https://www.philosophy-of-education.org/annual-conference/

Conference

ConferencePhilosophy of Education Society of Great Britain Annual Conference 2023
Abbreviated titlePESGB 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityOxford
Period31/03/232/04/23
Internet address

Keywords

  • identity
  • belonging
  • national sentiment
  • humanity
  • populism

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