Debating Nationalism in the South Caucasus in the Context of Integrated Nationalism

Abstract

Flag-waving that symbolises the rise of nationalism is everywhere and has become a global trend. In that sense, states need to develop nationalist strategies to survive. However, due to the needs and capacity of the states, there are different types of nationalism. Aggressive and destructive nationalism is one of them and refers to the founding states of the modern order. For example, in his second time in office, US President Donald J. Trump prioritised destructive and aggressive nationalism in favour of strengthening the state in terms of radical economic actions. In this sense, democracy, which emerged as one of the most efficient tools for maintaining order, is now obsolete. Therefore, destructive and aggressive nationalism aims to strengthen the state rather than the nation. For this reason, leaders of the founding states of modernity have been following destructive and aggressive nationalism. Thus, it seems that the adoption of nationalism has already become a necessity for the states.