View of PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF NATIONALISM AND GLOBALITY

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ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING

Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal, ISSN NO. 2456-1037, IMPACT FACTOR: 2.104 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) Vol. 03, Issue 12, December 2018 Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

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PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF NATIONALISM AND GLOBALITY Anand Kumar Tripathi

Asst. Professor – Psychology,

Govt. Girls Degree College, Varanasi, UP, India

Abstract - The contemporary world is facing problems like militant nationalism, religious fanatism, racial, linguistic and regional hegemony and the consequent reactions and their after-effects like terrorism, insurgency, separatism, militancy, migration and so on .When a person gradually expands his consciousness from „I‟ to „We‟ and from „We‟ to „We People‟, he begins to feel his attachment towards his own family and society which is very natural. In the context of a nation this feeling of attachment or oneness is called nationalism, but when this ideology become fanatic and militant, the entire world has to face its disasterous consequences as in Syria, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, and Myanmar .The feeling of nationalism can uplift the citizens of a nation from the narrow boundaries of the religion, race, caste, language and community and cause to unite and integrate them. Similarly the feeling of globalization and global unity can bring all the countries together and enhance international co-operation to erase poverty and fight with hunger, disease, pollution, crime and terrorism.

This research paper tries to present a comparative study of the dangers of the excesses of nationalistic feelings and the necessity of promoting global unity in the psychological context. It also tries to focus on the theoretical and practical solutions to these problems.

Keywords: Nationalism, Nationality, Jingoism, Fanatism, Globalization, Globalism.

1 INTRODUCTION

Following the same sequence of social growth according to which development occur from the individual to the family, from the family to the society and from the society to the nation, the development of personal familier, communal, social and national thinking takes place in the citizens of a nation. The same psychological factors which determine the personal and social development of individuals also develop and determine the feelings of nationality. The growth of the feelings of nationality and nationalism are essential factors for the progress, development and stability of any country and this should take place on the mental, emotional and behavioral spheres.

The factors which are responsible for the formation and integration of a nation, clearly determine the nature and necessity of nationalism. Nationalism is the desire of a group of people who share the same race, culture, language, etc to form an independent country. It is a feeling of love or pride for one's own country and a belief that one‟s own country is better than any other in the world. Nationalism is the mental, spiritual and physical devotion and dedication of the citizens of a country for the unity, integrity, progress, prosperity and all round development of their nation. It

unites the various diverse elements towards the goal of national welfare.

A.D. Smith has illustrated five main forms of nationalism which is relevant in the present context:-

1. For the creation and stability of nation

2. National consciousness which unites us with our nation.

3. Language and symbols which provide national identity.

4. Cultural and social philosophy.

5. Political and social activities exemplifying national aspirations.

6. According to Kellas (Politics of Nationalism,67.

“Official nationalism is the nationalism of the state encompassing all those legally entitled to be citizens, irrespective of their ethnicity national identity and culture”.

According to Easman (Ethnic Politics, 28) “Nationalism tends to glorify a people's history, accomplishment and aspirations; to preach the obligation to loyalty to the community, institutions and symbols: and to warn against external threat”.

All these definitions clearly indicate that nationalism and national unity directly influence each other. But in the contemporary word global interaction and growth of international trade and

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2 commerce are immensely influencing the development of nations. Development of mass-communication, transport facilities, intercontinental trade and commerce, internet and social media has united the various countries, races and communities of the world. These concepts of globalization become extremely relevant and important.

According to Steger, “Globalization is a dynamic, transformative process which implies we are “leaving behind the condition of modern nationality….we are moving towards the new condition of post modern globality and we have not reached it yet”. He believes that “it is a social condition characterized by tight global, economic, political, cultural and environmental interconnections, and flows that make most of currently existing borders and boundaries irrelevant.”

Mansfield Steger defines globalization as a set of social processes that appear to transform our present social condition of weakening nationality into one of globality.

1.1 Objectives of the study:

1. To inculcate the growth of the feeling of globality among the future citizens of the world.

2. To encourage the growth of healthy nationalistic and patriotic feelings amongst citizens along with respect and tolerance of other races and countries.

3. To check the growth of extreme or eccentric national loyalty that is hostile to the interest of any other nation.

4. To suggest practical psychological techniques to train the children to develop the feeling of globality while retaining their nationalistic loyalties.

5. To suggest psychological techniques to change the mentality and habit pattern of fanatics and jingoists.

2 MAIN TEXT:

It is difficult to comprehend the concept of nationalism and nationality without considering the ideals of globalization and globality. In the contemporary world the emotional attachment, understanding and devotion towards one‟s own national cultural and intellectual heritage is very important. At the same time the concept of „Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam‟or the idea that the entire world is a family and

„Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' or the desire for the welfare of all the beings, are also vital for global peace and prosperity. In this era of interdependence and mutual co-operation the expansion from the self to the society, from society to nation, from nation to the world and from the world back to own self is very essential. If the concept of nationality is to be transmitted to the citizens of the future word it should be embellished with the element of love, mercy, honor, empathy and tolerance.

Without these emotions the concept of nationalism could easily degenerate into fanatism, jingoism, communalism, regionalism, insurgency, militancy and cross border terrorism that would ultimately destroy the world.

We have to build a new society which should be liberal and open-minded and ready to accept the beneficial aspect of globalization and assimilate in it the idea of nationalism. We can no longer afford to remain aloof and segregated with extreme or eccentric national loyalty that is hostile to the interest and existence of any other nation .It has been scientifically proved that the beginning, development and change of any human attitude or thought may be accurately analysed with the help of psychological theory and knowledge.

If the parents, guardians, teachers and educationists are able to understand this then a deep commitment toward globalization and global harmony may be created along with the feelings of national loyalty in the minds of the future citizens.

At the time of birth the mind of the child is absolutely blank like that of a computer‟s hardware without any type of programming. It does not have any particular thought, inclination, emotion, prejudice or conditioning of its own. It is the family and the society which design and develops the desired software in it and this has been repeatedly established by several psychological researches.

2.1 According to Psychoanalytic viewpoint;

Our childhood is a very critical and determining stage in our life. All the experiences, events and incidents that occur in our childhood have a profound impact on our personality and influence our behaviour and attitude throughout our lives.

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3 In their study in 1950 Adorno et al. have established that in the German society children are subjected to strict discipline and authoritative control due to which they are respectful and attracted towards authority. Turnet in 1960 drew similar conclusion from his study on Russian subjects.

2.2 According to Behavioristic Viewpoint

Human behavior whether it is good or bad, adaptive or un-adaptive, is the result of learning. It is clear that what ever has been learnt can also be forgotten.

Behaviorism believes that the logic of reward and punishment is effective for achieving this.

Wolpe (1969) says in his book „The Practice of Behavior Therapy‟ that

“Behaviour therapy is the use of experimentally established principles of learning for the purpose of changing un- adaptive behavior. Un-adaptive habits are gradually weekend and eliminated.

Adaptive habits are initiated and strengthened”.

2.3 According to the Humanistic Viewpoint

Human beings are receptive, productive and optimistic by nature and if they are provided with favorable circumstances they become positive and creative.

According to Maslow's Theory of Hierarchy the necessity of affiliation is a basic requirement of human beings which has lead to the formation of family, society and nation. If this tendency is allowed to grow unconditionally it will lead to world brotherhood or globality.

Globality is the final stage of globalization.

it is a hypothetical condition in which the process of globalization is complete and all the artificial barriers that separate human beings have disappeared.

2.4 According to the Cognitive viewpoint

The thought, cognition and belief system of a human being has a profound impact on his personality. Whether a person is a nationalist or a traitor depends upon the pattern of his cognitive systems and by bringing about a change in these systems the personality of a person may be changed. According to (Nietzel Bernstein and Milich, Introduction to Clinical Psychology, 1994, page 318) “Cognitive

therapy can be defined as a treatment approach that attempts to modify maladaptive behavior by influencing a client's cognition”. Highlighting the importance of cognitive factors Contril (1975) has established that identification with specific values, beliefs and thought processes leads to the development of special traits.

Famous psychologist Kurt Lewin had propounded the Field Theory and the Personal Space Theory. In between 1945 and 1948, Kurt Lewin conducted a study amongst the citizens of two nations where the psychological environment was found to be totally different even though physical environment was nearly the same and this had caused a significant change in their nationalistic loyalties.

Thus it is clear that a right psychological environment is a determining factor for the balanced development of the ideal of nationality and globality.

3 CONCLUSIONS

Both the concept of nationalism and globalism have been learnt after birth and is dependent upon a person's cognition.

While nationalism denotes people's attachment, devotion ,pride and dedication towards their own country the ideal of globality stresses on tolerance and respect towards the tradition and culture of the people of other races, countries and spares for harmonious co-existence and mutual acceptance of other nations. In both cases psychological theory and knowledge may be used to develop two types of working strategies.

Firstly: As childhood is the most critical period in human life, arrangements should be made for the balanced development of healthy and creative experience of children.

Secondly: Attempts should be made to change the mentality and habit pattern of citizens with maladaptive attitude. Both these strategies may be fulfilled by psychological counseling. The first strategy would help to develop a healthy mentality, where feelings of nationalism will grow along with those of mutual co- operation and harmonious co-existence in the minds of the future generations.

Through the second strategy it would be possible to erase and cleanse the excesses in the mind, action and concept of jingoists of the present generation. It will lead them toward a balanced approach to

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4 nationalism which will value healthy patriotism and mutual interdependency and harmony of nations.

The foundation of globalist and global fraternity may be established by destroying the narrow- minded fanatic and jingoistic nationalistic ideals.

Nationalistic feelings definitely important for national unity and integrity but the ideal of „Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam‟ or one- world family could be realized only when the narrow fanatic nationalism is discarded and each one aspires and works for global unity, peace, prosperity and harmony. Today all the countries are coming very close to each other and trying to open up trade and economic barriers.

The countries which are trying to segregate themselves and fanning their own selfish interests are remaining aloof, poor and undeveloped.

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