After completing the course, students are familiar with the central nationalism theories and are able to recognise nationalism as a phenomenon in its various forms in media, politics and daily life.

 The aim of the course is to provide knowledge in different theories on nationalism, and insight in the research field. The concept is approached broadly from different theoretical perspectives, such as neo-institutionalism, constructionism, primordialism and essentialism, addressing the relation between globalisation and nationalism, and ranging from the perspective of everyday nationalism to ultranationalist ideologies. Furthermore, the students will gain insight in empirical cases of nationalism from different parts of the world. The cases include among others Islamic nationalism and the concept of ‘umma’, ultranationalism in Europe, USA and civic religion, Russian nationalism in 2000s, Chinese state nationalism and communism, and African nationalism. 

The course consists of 3 theoretical lectures and 6 case lectures.  The lectures will be interactive; the aim is to support the students learning through activation.

This course is jointly organized by the University of Helsinki and the University of Tampere. Lectures will be given on Mondays and Wednesdays at 14-16 either in Tampere or in Helsinki. All lectures will be recorded and broadcasted so that students of both universities will be able to follow lectures online.

18.1. Introduction/Overview Lecture (In Tampere, all teachers involved will lead the lecture, all students physically present)

25.1. Primorialism and Ethnosymbolism (In Helsinki, Karin Creutz & Peter Holley)

27.1. Modernist and Contemporary Approaches (In Helsinki, Karin Creutz & Peter Holley)

1.2. Religiously Inspired Nationalism: Jihadi Nationalism, Christian Fundamentalism and Zionism (In Helsinki, Karin Creutz & Peter Holley

3.2. Autobiographies, Everyday Life and Nationalism (In Tampere, Petri Ruuska)

8.2. African Nationalism: USA and Africa (In Helsinki, Karin Creutz & Peter Holley)

10.2. Nation Branding (In Tampere, Katja Valaskivi)

15.2. European Ultra-Nationalism and the Emergence of the Far-Right (In Helsinki, Karin Creutz & Peter Holley)

17.2. Neo-Institutionalism (In Tampere, Robert Imre. All students and teachers will be physically present) (14-16)

17.2. Cultural Nationalism: Nationalist Rock as a Case & Conclusions (In Tampere, Pertti Alasuutari. All students and teachers will be physically present) (14-18)

17.2. Social Event (18 onwards)

Lectures and essay / Book exam

Will be announced later.

This is a course organized jointly by the MDP in Ethnic Relations, Cultural Diversity and Integration (ERI), University of Helsinki (UH) and the MDP in Global and Transnational Studies (GTS), University of Tampere

Available only for students of the following Master's programmes:

-MDP in Global and Transnational Studies (GTS)

-MDP in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research