Social Studies 20-2

Nationalism is shared pride in and loyalty to a nation, and it shows up in many expressions: flags, anthems, language, sport, holidays, monuments, ceremonies and everyday public life.

Nationalism can be an identity, an internalized feeling and a collective consciousness — a sense of "us" that a people carry inside, shown by the French Revolution, Canadian, Québecois, First Nations and Métis nationalism, and Inuit perspectives.

The same expression can mean very different things to different people — a flag can signal belonging to one person and exclusion to another.

This shared feeling is real even though you cannot see it — it shapes how a people see themselves and act together.

A nation is a group of people who feel they belong together, and that bond can rest on many bases: relationship to land, geography, a shared collective feeling, civic values, ethnicity, culture, language, politics, spirituality, religion or patriotism.

National interest is what a country decides is good for itself — its security, its economy, its values and its standing in the world.

Nationalism and ultranationalism were among the causes of the First and Second World Wars, and they shaped events at home: internments in Canada and the conscription crises.

What counts as the national interest is a judgement, so people inside the same country can disagree about it.

The same wars produced ultranationalism abroad AND unjust treatment of Canadians (Japanese, Ukrainian and other internments) at home.

A nation's sense of itself — its nationalism — shapes what it decides its national interest is and what it will fight to protect.

Nations choose to be involved (or NOT involved) in international affairs for several motives: economic stability, self-determination, peace, security and humanitarianism.

Organizations promote internationalism to different degrees: the United Nations, the World Council of Indigenous Peoples, the European Union, l'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the Arctic Council.

The same country can be involved for one motive and stay out for another — the choice depends on what it values in that situation.

Analyzing "the extent" means judging both the successes and the limits of an organization, not just describing it.

Internationalism is the belief that nations should cooperate and work together toward shared goals that no single nation can reach alone.

There is no single Canadian identity — people hold multiple, sometimes competing, perspectives on what it means to be Canadian.

Promoting Canadian national unity brings both challenges and opportunities: Québec sovereignty, federal-provincial-territorial relations, Aboriginal self-determination and land claims, bilingualism and multiculturalism.

Perspectives differ by region, language, heritage and history: a newcomer, a Québecois, a First Nations person and a fourth-generation Albertan may each see "Canadian" differently.

The same feature — like two official languages or many cultures — can be seen as a challenge to unity OR an opportunity that makes Canada stronger.

Individuals, groups and governments promote a national identity using methods like symbolism, mythology, institutions, and government programs and initiatives.