Nationalism in Geography Classrooms: Challenges

Nationalism in Geography Classrooms: Challenges and Opportunities

This journal article begins by stating that political geographers have long been critically engaging with nationalism as a research topic, and it is equally important to continue this engagement in geography classrooms. (Schlosser, 2011) the argument for this belief is the fact that nationalism appeals to students in different ways than simple geography. Nationalism is "intertwined because it is often a deeply emotional, perceptual, and experiential topic for students." It is also a topic that requires critical thinking, and helps students to understand geography and how it may shape the very type of civilization that surrounds it. In order to teach this to students, it must be inferred that national identity is not timeless, but rather shaped by history and where one is culturally situated.

Nationalism is a heated topic in schools, and may seem out of place in a lesson on geography. Proponents believe that stirring nationalistic feelings in an instituted lesson would fuel hostility and xenophobia. This is not necessary true, however, because students tend to understand the ideas that are held closely to them, identity being one. Exposure to nationalism is an attempt to de-emphasize its effect on us, by removing its hold over our own beings.

The journal article continues by teaching how one should approach controversial subjects in the classroom. The concept of nationalism, defined as "the territorial expression of identity," is more of an expression of a group rather than a way of life. It is intimate within a certain geographic setting, regardless of personal identity such as race, ethnicity, religion, or sex. Nationalism can be a concept that is hijacked by the state. When this happens, it is typically through charm campaigns, possibly as propaganda, or in other forms depending on the state in question. The various branches of the American military, for example, have their own form of nationalism that is represented by hard power and military supremacy. This does not mean that nationalism must be necessarily political in nature, but often the two are tied together due to the ease in which they go hand in hand. This can be said of geography as well, especially political geography.

Often, political geography is mistaken for being the same as cultural identity, particularly when language comes into question. In countries that contain minority language speakers in large concentrations, such as Quebec, Canada or Basque, Spain, the various cultural differences inherent in native language is typically seen as the dominant factor of identity. Geography can play a large factor in student identity as well, however, and cannot be discounted, even amongst communities that have several languages within a small area, Queens, New York for example. The geographic setting of New York City is just as impressing on students behavior as the language they may speak at home, whether it is Korean, Chinese, Spanish, or English.