Kulturnationalismus. Wir-Krise und Nationalstaat

Will the nation state become obsolete? Many facts support the opposite assumption that nation states will actually continue to dominate 21st century politics. However, in many Western countries images of ‘We’ and ‘Us’ in relation to the nation have become the subject of heated debates, leading eventually to a real or potential identity crisis. In this context, some are using concepts of ‘culture’ and ‘nation’ as rhetorical means of distinction, whereas others are rejecting the model of a nation state completely. Thus, both groups are becoming involved in a losing game of fighting for status. This study is based upon historical long-term investigations into four different fields of culture. It focuses on the transformation of national rhetoric, ‘we-images’ and ‘we-feelings’.