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Negotiating the Nation: Ethnicity, Nationalism and Nation‐Building in Independent Namibia
Author(s) -
Fosse Leif John
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
nations and nationalism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1469-8129
pISSN - 1354-5078
DOI - 10.1111/j.1354-5078.1997.00427.x
Subject(s) - nationalism , ideology , ethnic group , negotiation , politics , gender studies , ethnic nationalism , sociology , state (computer science) , political economy , political science , social science , anthropology , law , algorithm , computer science
. Employing recent anthropological perspectives on ethnicity and nationalism which have not yet been applied to any extent in research on cultural differentiation in Namibia, the article investigates problems and challenges in the process of nation‐building in the recently independent state. Ethnicity and nationalism are here seen as socially constructed and ideologically practised phenomena, and the relationship between these ideologies is studied as one of ideological conflict. More particularly, the article investigates the formation, relevance and uses of ethnic identities; the relationship between ethnicity, class and the politics of ethnic nationalism; as well as some techniques, rhetorics and symbols employed in the social construction of nationalism in Namibia. In conclusion, the article argues the importance of making the nation‐building project relevant to people not only through the creation of ever more effective and inclusive national symbols, but also through real economic and political reforms.