How Nationalism Shapes Our Perception of Identity

For many people, including myself, nationalism is a big part of our identity. The sense of community among people of the same Palestinian, religious, and cultural backgrounds makes people connect on a deeper level than many people believe is possible. There is a saying in Gaza that goes, “when a person is in pain, they yell out ‘AKH,'” which means “brother” in Arabic. A sense of brotherhood wherever a person is, is very important, especially in the diaspora. Although nationalism has gotten a bad reputation in the past because it is seen as “superiority” or the political movements that have tainted the image of nationalism, it could be used for political gain, but that is not the purpose of it. The purpose of nationalism is to give people a purpose in life and a sense of community.

Nationalism and Feminism

When a person thinks of the ideology of nationalism, feminism would not be the first thing on their mind. On the contrary, feminism and nationalism are very interlinked because of the shared history between them. Nationalistic movements against colonialism in Palestine led to one of the biggest women’s liberation movements in the history of the region. Educated women were not a rare occurrence in Palestine, which opposed all norms of the time in the region.

Additionally, the feminist movement is inherently nationalistic because the main goal of feminism is the liberation of women and their people, which is also a large part of what nationalism is. Moreover, feminism and nationalism may clash when the feminist movement feels that the nationalist movement is prioritizing the nation over women.

How Nationalism Affected my Life

As a Palestinian, nationalism has always been a large part of my life. When the Free Palestine riots were trending in mid-2022, my sense of nationalism spiked up by miles because of the sense of community that I was feeling when I was watching it on TV. People around me who were not Palestinian or did not have a nationalistic sense usually did not understand this feeling. Usually, I bond well with older people because they are usually people who were born in their homeland and migrated to the UAE, and nationalism is always a large part of older Arab people.

Palestinian Riots in London in front of the Israeli embassy.

During the Palestinian riots in London in front of the Israeli embassy, the protests were getting a lot of attention from so many social media platforms and influencers, as well as newscasters. This gave hope to the Palestinian people inside and outside of Palestine.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/22/palestinian-solidarity-protests-marked-around-the-world

Video of the Palestinian protests in the UK

Discussion Questions

How has nationalism affected your life?

what other ideologies like feminism do you think is an indirect part of nationalism?

11 Comments

  1. I would have to say, this was my favorite read so far. Abueida, you have done a great job with this blog post. Nationalism is one of the biggest factors that play a role in shaping not only our identity, but our personalities and behaviors. I love the video you shared, it gives a glimpse of how Palestinians’ lives are and how oppressed they are. Their need for justice is represented not just in the UK, but also in almost every other country, Palestinians are in the streets fighting for their rights. The Palestinian issue has been, is, and will forever be an issue of nationalism that affects my life and identity. I relate to you, as this issue affects each and every Palestine’s life greatly. I got goosebumps reading the post, watching the video, and writing this comment. If I go on, I’m pretty sure I would exceed word limit. Overall, I’d like to say that this post is well done!

  2. This blog was very interesting, Abueida! Great work!
    I’ve grew up away from my hometown (Syria) and due to the political instability back home, I was never able to visit back since I was 6 years old. I used to feel like I don’t have that sense of nationalism like other people do towards their home country. I felt disconnected from Syria and felt like I was with no identity. This really bothered me because I felt like I have no home. However, as I grew older, certain incidents have proved that I do have that nationalistic feeling towards my country, but I never had the ability to put it into certain words or labels. I think that nationalism was very important in shaping my identity. It pushes me to connect more with my culture, understand and apply certain traditions, connect with the struggles of my people, and much more.

  3. i’m the opposite, where I’m not really nationalistic or patriotic but I am a feminist. I feel more connected to other people because of our shared goal for women’s liberation, and sometimes it can be hard to be nationalistic if the nation itself is flawed in this category (and others).

  4. Very interesting blog, Nationalism affected my life just as much as it affected yours. Mainly because, Im Palestinian as well. Therefore, I can easily relate to what you were saying, and the video is a very nice one too.

  5. This is a very interesting and controversial topic. I wouldn’t consider myself nationalistic and the word has generally negative connotations in my mind. However, I see that it can be a positive force in some cases – like your example of Palestinian nationalism. In most cases, however, I think nationalism divides people more than it unites them, and it doesn’t take very long for healthy nationalism to turn into something nasty. I would consider myself fairly patriotic though because I believe loving your country and being loyal to it means recognizing the state and society for its flaws and engaging in its betterment – adopting a ‘we can be better’ mindset rather than ‘we are the best,’ which most nationalists have. I’m skeptical of the link between feminism and nationalism, but I can see how the movements may intersect in some contexts. Thank you for this post Abueida!

  6. Such an intriguing subject! I can understand how it can be a powerful force in the battle against injustice and oppressions when it comes to instances like Palestinian nationalism. Regarding the relationship between nationalism and feminism, I can see how some people might see feminism as a movement that supports women’s interests, but as a feminist, I feel like its primary objective is to end the patriarchy, especially given that it harms both men and women, even though it affects women more severely. Certain feminist groups have contributed to nationalist movements, and they both influence one another. In general, I believe that people should be able to strive to improve their own communities and resolve any problems within.

  7. Great work Abueida! Your blog post was insightful and provided a personal perspective on the topic of nationalism. It was interesting to learn about the interlink between feminism and nationalism, as well as how nationalism has influenced your life as a Palestinian. Amazing job chief 🙂

  8. This is an extremely compelling topic! I like how your post provided a different perspective to nationalism. I think if someone who came from a politically and globally dominant country expressed nationalism, it would be quite different (and negative). In the case of Palestinians, it seems as though nationalism is a way to keep your identity alive despite the diaspora and oppression, and not to suggest superiority over others. I grew up away from my home country (Egypt), and though I do love it and wish I spent more time there, I would not consider myself nationalistic. However, your post made me wonder if I would have been nationalistic if I lived in Egypt before it declared independence from Britain.

  9. Great blog Abueida! Nationalism is an idea that is close to all of us especially here in this part of the world, due to the fact that all of the middle east was colonized less than 100 years ago, which isn’t that far in relative terms. To add to that, I think the a sense of Pan-Arabism connects us all via language, where all us Arabs are share a connection via language and culture.

  10. Such an amazing blog post! I never stopped for a second and thought of how nationalism affects my identity until now. As someone that grew up away from my home country, I did not grow up with a strong sense of nationalism. But I think now, as I am focusing more on my sense of identity and personality, I am learning more about my country and identifying more with its culture and members from it.

  11. As an Egyptian born and raised in Egypt for all of my life prior to my arrival here at AUS, I do consider myself nationalistic. Back home, specifically in my city, Mansoura, you grow up with stories of how we defeated the French during the Seventh Crusade (capturing Louise the Ninth and holding him as a prisoner of war in Dar Ibn Luqman), the air battle of Mansoura in 1973, and the multitudes of famous Egyptians who came from Mansoura like Farouk Al Baz, Om Kulthum, and Adel Emam. If we talk on a grander scale, Egyptians are nationalistic about our ancient civilization and particularly the Nile River. There is a saying in Egypt that goes as such, “The Nile is not the gift of Egypt. Rather, it is Egypt that is the gift of the Nile and the Egyptians”.

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