Nationalism is an ideology while national identity is a shared cultural base

Evidence

Following Anthony Smith (2010), I use the term “nationalism” to refer to a political ideology that seeks to unite and mobilize a people, usually within the bounds of a contiguous territory or an internationally recognized state, in their pursuit of sovereignty, selfdetermination, and perceived collective interests. As such, nationalism can be distinguished from the related concept of “national identity,” which is based on a people’s real or imagined historical experiences, cultural traditions, collective memories, and shared values. … Not all aspects of a nation’s identity are fully or equally shared by every segment of its population, particularly when the nation is ethnically, linguistically, or religiously heterogeneous. — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 1655

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes nationalism (political ideology mobilizing for sovereignty) from national identity (shared cultural substrate) — useful analytic split.
• XREF: connects to: Nationalism must be read against prior cultural systems, not political ideologies — Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on…, 58; National identity becomes nationalist ideology only through emotionally charged crafting against others. — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 1655

Broader Connections

• Nationalism must be read against prior cultural systems, not political ideologies #qualifies (0.72) — Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, 58