Thursday, September 9, 2021

(Webinar) NATIONALISM : THEN AND NOW – PROFESSOR MRIDULA MUKHERJEE

 

Democracy Dialogues Lecture Series ( Webinar)
Organised by New Socialist Initiative


10th Lecture

Topic: NATIONALISM : THEN AND NOW

Speaker: PROFESSOR MRIDULA MUKHERJEE


Date and Time:  Sunday, 12th September at 6 PM (IST)

Facebook Event -https://www.facebook.com/events/171522641784388?ref=newsfeed

Facebook Live on - http://fb.com/newsocialistinitiative.nsi




The 10th lecture in the Democracy Dialogues Series organised by New Socialist Initiative will be delivered by Prof Mridula Mukherjee ( Retd.) on Sunday, 12th September at 6 PM ( IST). She will be speaking on ‘Nationalism : Then and Now’

Author of many books, Prof. Mridula Mukherjee, was associated with Centre for Historical Studies, JNU for a long time and was also Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, ( NMML), New Delhi.

The lecture will be live on facebook.com/newsocialistinitiative.nsi

Brief Outline of Lecture

 

1.      Nationalism and its origins as a modern ideology.

2.      Nations are historical constructs, with each nation having its own distinctive historical evolution. New nations are born, and some older ones disappear. There is no one defining principle for unifying into a nation.

3.      Two kinds of nationalism. The European nationalism which becomes allied with the colonial project from its inception and anti-colonial nationalism which inspires national liberation movements.

4.      Indian nationalism as it emerges in the course of the struggle for freedom, which gives it an anti-imperialist and pro-people character. It was firmly rooted in an economic critique of colonialism evolved by the early nationalist leaders.

5.      The present notion of aggressive, chauvinistic nationalism purveyed by the sectarian, communal fascist forces is in sharp contrast to the one evolved by the freedom struggle, and resembles the aggressive version.

6.      The task of preventing the appropriation and misuse of a powerful emotive force and creatively linking it to a progressive agenda is an urgent need.