Nationalism Essay

Definition of the Nationalism

Nationalism is defined as strong, even extreme patriotism and pride in one’s country, so much so that it may lead to conflicts with other nations that are also highly nationalistic. The rise of nation-states in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, for example, gave rise to extreme competition to establish overseas empires. The end result, of course, was a number of wars, culminating in two World Wars.

If the 19th century was dominated by European nationalism and the 20th century dominated by American nationalism, the 21st century promises to be the age of Pacific and Middle Eastern nationalism, with a few Latin American countries and perhaps Turkey has thrown in for good measure.

An essay on nationalism can be counted on in history classes; it is almost a sure thing in any political science course; and in economics and business coursework that relates to economic globalization, it is quite possible that a nationalism research paper may be assigned. There are a number of topics for a good nationalism essay that you could select, and here are a few:

1. Does extreme nationalism among a people also produce xenophobia?
2. Can the American Revolution be seen as a form of extreme nationalism?
3. Prime Minister Tony Blair has stated that all wars from this point forward will be about religion. Others state that the upheaval in the Middle East is about nationalism. Who is right?
4. Can the current ISIS activity be seen as nationalism, given that they are attempting to form a state based upon their extreme form of Islam?  
5. What have examples of revolutionary nationalism occurred in the 20th century?
6. What role did nationalism play in the Gulf War?
7. Many have stated that the state of Israel and the current government of Israel represent a form of extreme nationalism. Others state that the policies and actions of the country are a result of a response to a permanent threat. Which is correct?
8. What role has nationalism played in the development of nuclear weaponry on the part of both developed and under-developed nations?
9. Some Asian nations claim that Japan is moving toward a dangerous form of nationalism. Do you agree?
10. Is there such a thing as economic nationalism that will not result in armed conflict among countries?
11. Is Russia’s annexation of the Crimea a sign of a new emergence of nationalism on the part of Russia and the ethnic Russians that currently live in countries of the former Soviet bloc?

Nationalism in the 21st century is a difficult and complex topic, because of the many forms that it has and will take. If you are having difficulty producing an essay or paper on this topic, you may want to enlist the help of historical and political experts on staff at a professional writing service, such as TrustMyaper.com.