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Claiming the nation for the people: the dynamics of representation in German public discourse about immigrant integration
Author(s) -
Piwoni Eunike
Publication year - 2015
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/nana.12084
Subject(s) - elite , nationalism , essentialism , national identity , sociology , politics , identity (music) , public discourse , representation (politics) , immigration , german , identity politics , gender studies , media studies , epistemology , political science , law , aesthetics , linguistics , philosophy
Against the backdrop of the current trend to criticise elite‐centred approaches to the study of nationalism, this article sheds light on ways in which elite and popular notions of nationhood are mediated. Thus, public discourse on national identity is explored as a discourse that ordinary people can influence and in which elites make claims to represent the people. To illustrate the dynamics of representative claim‐making and reception, the article uses a case study from G erman public discourse; the debate about T hilo S arrazin's 2010 book G ermany Does Away With Itself . It finds that, although S arrazin clearly breaches well‐established rules in national identity discourse, his ideas gain traction from the moment he becomes accepted as representing ordinary G ermans. The findings are discussed against the backdrop of the history of G erman national identity discourse and anti‐essentialist approaches treating nationhood as a political claim.