2 discussions 1 assignment- reserved for someone [[[[[[Part 2]]]]]]]
kingrai04
Anderson22Introduction22.pptxImagined Communities
Benedict Anderson
Learning Objectives
Become familiar with Benedict Anderson’s conception of Nation, nationality, and nationalism
Ideological potency
Apply these theories to America and depictions of American nationalism in film
Becoming “nationalist”
“Since World War II every successful revolution has defined itself in national terms…and, in so doing, has grounded itself firmly in a territorial and social space inherited from the pre-revolutionary past.” (125).
What does this mean?
Is this still true?
What examples can you use to support or refute this idea?
Becoming “nationalist”
“Marxist movements and states have tended to become national not only in form but in substance, i.e., nationalist.” (quoting Eric Hobsbawm) (126)
“ . . nation-ness is the most universally legitimate value in the political life of our time” (126).
Is this true?
What examples can you use to support this idea?
Difficulty of Definition
Nation, nationality, nationalism – all have proved notoriously difficult to define, let alone to analyze
Why?
The Nation- the key
Nation: “it is an imagined political community -and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign” (127).
Imagined: Will all members of a nation ever meet, know, or hear of each other?
Fallacy of Unification
If we will never meet, why do we feel connected?
The Nation- the key
Nation: “it is an imagined political community -and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign” (127).
Imagined as limited: finite, geographical boundaries, other ways nation is limited?
The Nation- the key
Nation: “it is an imagined political community -and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign” (127).
Imagined as Sovereign: concept born when other modes of organization were being called into question (divinely-ordained, hierarchical, dynastic) better word- Autonomous
The Nation- the key
Nation: “it is an imagined political community -and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign” (127).
Imagined as Community: Deep, horizontal comradeship
Discussion Questions
What are some ideas about what it means to be “American”?
What are some ways to be American that you have seen in films?
Sports movies (Defined vis-à-vis an “other” – Who do you play for?
Super hero films
More obviously war films
What is “America”?
Can we apply Anderson’s theories to any of
the other analytical categories of the course
(Race, Class, Gender, Sexuality)?
Discussion questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2c- tMZSZtY
How does the concept of the nation function in this clip? In what other ways does the concept of the Nation function within the film?
Learning Objectives
Become familiar with Benedict Anderson’s conception of Nation, Nationality, and Nationalism
Apply these theories to America and depictions of American Nationalism in film
Works Cited
Anderson, Benedict. “Introduction” in Imagined Communities. Verso Books, 1983.
Back to the Future. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Performances by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Universal. 1985.
