nationalistcurrent

Nationalist current is a term used in political science and history to describe a broad family of political and cultural tendencies that place the nation at the center of political legitimacy and social belonging. Proponents argue that a defined national community provides coherence, self-determination, and a stable basis for public policy, especially in times of global interdependence. Critics view nationalist currents as potentially exclusive or destabilizing when national identity is defined through birth or ethnicity alone.

Variants range from civic, inclusive nationalism to ethnonationalism that ties nationhood to ancestry. Some nationalist currents seek swift national autonomy or independence; others pursue policy aims such as immigration controls, language standardization, or economic intervention to defend domestic interests.

Historically, nationalist currents emerged with modern state-building in Europe in the 19th century and later in other regions during decolonization, with renewed influence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries amid globalization, migration, and perceived threats to sovereignty.

In scholarship, nationalism is studied as a political ideology, as a social-psychological tendency to identify with a national in-group, and as a mobilizing force in elections and policy-making. The term nationalist current is used descriptively rather than as an endorsement.

Related topics include nationalism, patriotism, ethnonationalism, and populism.