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The Image of Thai Nationhood : Pragmatism in Nationalism

Zackari, Karin LU (2009) MRSM01 20091
Human Rights Studies
Abstract
National identity, the unifying image of a people, is used to legitimate nationalism. Because of its relationship to a populations’ common identity any political side can make use of it. This essay presents Thai nationalism in line with this political theory. Behind nationalist propaganda we find a political method. The elite holds the political power and also the contemporary key to how inclusive nationalism can be. Even though they dispute the content of this nationalism, they all cling to the concept by written history and state institutions. It shows how the content of a national identity is prone to change without altering the significance of national identification: Thai nationhood is unvarying yet it is adjustable to political... (More)
National identity, the unifying image of a people, is used to legitimate nationalism. Because of its relationship to a populations’ common identity any political side can make use of it. This essay presents Thai nationalism in line with this political theory. Behind nationalist propaganda we find a political method. The elite holds the political power and also the contemporary key to how inclusive nationalism can be. Even though they dispute the content of this nationalism, they all cling to the concept by written history and state institutions. It shows how the content of a national identity is prone to change without altering the significance of national identification: Thai nationhood is unvarying yet it is adjustable to political reality. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Den samlande gemensamma bilden av ett folk, den s.k. nationella identiteten, används för att legitimera nationalism. Alla politiska intressen kan använda sig av nationalismen på grund av dess relation till ett folks gemensamma identitet. I linje med en sådan politisk teori presenterar den här magisteruppsatsen thailändsk nationalism. Det är politisk metod som ligger bakom nationalistisk propaganda mer än en enhetlig ideologi. Den politiska eliten i Thailand har också makt över hur inkluderande nationalismen kan vara. Nationalismens innehåll är föremål för diskussion men begreppet står fast, bundet som det är till officiell historieskrivning och statsinstitutioner. En nationell identitet kan ha skiftande innehåll utan att det förändrar... (More)
Den samlande gemensamma bilden av ett folk, den s.k. nationella identiteten, används för att legitimera nationalism. Alla politiska intressen kan använda sig av nationalismen på grund av dess relation till ett folks gemensamma identitet. I linje med en sådan politisk teori presenterar den här magisteruppsatsen thailändsk nationalism. Det är politisk metod som ligger bakom nationalistisk propaganda mer än en enhetlig ideologi. Den politiska eliten i Thailand har också makt över hur inkluderande nationalismen kan vara. Nationalismens innehåll är föremål för diskussion men begreppet står fast, bundet som det är till officiell historieskrivning och statsinstitutioner. En nationell identitet kan ha skiftande innehåll utan att det förändrar betydelsen av nationell identifikation: Thailändsk tillhörighet är samtidigt orubblig och politiskt pragmatisk. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Zackari, Karin LU
supervisor
organization
course
MRSM01 20091
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
nationhood, nationalism, Thailand, identity, Thainess
language
English
id
1393193
date added to LUP
2009-05-06 11:23:47
date last changed
2014-09-04 08:27:46
@misc{1393193,
  abstract     = {{National identity, the unifying image of a people, is used to legitimate nationalism. Because of its relationship to a populations’ common identity any political side can make use of it. This essay presents Thai nationalism in line with this political theory. Behind nationalist propaganda we find a political method. The elite holds the political power and also the contemporary key to how inclusive nationalism can be. Even though they dispute the content of this nationalism, they all cling to the concept by written history and state institutions. It shows how the content of a national identity is prone to change without altering the significance of national identification: Thai nationhood is unvarying yet it is adjustable to political reality.}},
  author       = {{Zackari, Karin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Image of Thai Nationhood : Pragmatism in Nationalism}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}