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For a more in-depth examination of nationalism overall, see the main article entitled nationalism.

Ethnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations. It also includes ideas of a culture shared between members of the group, and with their ancestors, and usually a shared language.

Whereas a purely cultural definition of "the nation" allows people to become members of a nation by cultural assimilation, and a purely linguistic definition seeing "the nation" as all speakers of a specific language would make all those who learned the language members of the nation, the emphasis in the definition of nations (among nationalist movements) since the 19th century has shifted from language, culture, and folklore to a basis in ethnic origin.

The theorist Anthony D. Smith uses the term 'ethnic nationalism' for non-Western concepts of nationalism as opposed to Western views of a nation defined by its geographical territory. Ethnic nationalism is now the dominant form of nationalism in the world, and is often referred to simply as 'nationalism'.

The central political tenet of ethnic nationalism is that each ethnic group on earth is entitled to self-determination. The outcome of this right to self-determination may vary, from calls for self-regulated administrative bodies within an already-established society, to an autonomous entity separate from that society, to a sovereign state removed from that society. In international relations, it also leads to policies and movements for irredentism — to claim a common nation based upon ethnicity.

Membership of an ethnically-defined nation is hereditary. A nation-state for the ethnic group derives political legitimacy from its status as homeland of that ethnic group, from its protective function against colonization, persecution or racism, and from its claim to facilitate the shared cultural and social life, which may not have been possible under the ethnic group's previous status as an ethnic minority.

Ethnic nationalism has sustained criticism because of its use by extremists to advocate racist agendas and genocide, such as the case of Nazi Germany and its extermination of millions of Jews and other ethnic and cultural minorities during the Holocaust. More recent acts of violence that used ethnic nationalism as a justification include ethnic cleansing such as the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 and the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995.

Gallery of Ethnic Nationalists

• Adolf Hitler, Dictator of the Third Reich.
• Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization of the Palestinian National Authority
• Eamon de Valera, leader of Ireland's struggle for independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
• Though he would renounce such views in 1964, Malcolm X was a pioneer of black nationalism.
• Theodore Herzl, founder of modern political zionism.

See also

• Ethnic group
• Irredentism
• Identity politics
• Diaspora politics
• Historiography and nationalism
• Black nationalism
• Chicano nationalism
• Ethnocentrism
• Latin nationalism
• Irish nationalism
• German nationalism
• White nationalism
• Arab nationalism
• Tamil nationalism
• Turkish nationalism
• Zionism
• British Nationalism
• Hindutva
• Aryan Invasion Theory (history and controversies)
• List of irredentist claims or disputes

External links

• The Nationalism Project

• Articles lacking sources from November 2006
• Ethnic nationalism
• Nationalism
• Politics and race
• Ethnicity in politics
• Political theories
• Ethnic conflict