(Ha'aretz) Yuli Tamir - When the coronavirus disappears, it will leave behind a different world. The first, and most surprising, lesson is that the coronavirus reinforces the notion of national sovereignty. The virus does not recognize national boundaries, but the struggle against it reflects a distinct national state of mind. One by one, nation-states are putting their citizens first. Countries around the world decided to close their borders, physically separating their citizens from those of other states. National sentiments prevailed, proving, once again, that in times of crisis, fellow nationals come together. Others - in this case, those residing outside our borders - turn into a threat. In each of the countries facing the crisis, a common ritual ensued, with the leader addressing his or her citizens, appearing against the backdrop of the national flag. The battered Italians wrapped themselves in their tricolor flag while they stood on their balconies, singing the national anthem and Italian folk songs. The coronavirus has placed a civil-territorial kind of nationalism at the center of the political stage, reminding us that national identity is deeply rooted in our political cultures. Former Israeli Minister of Education Yael (Yuli) Tamir, a professor of political philosophy, is the author of Why Nationalism (Princeton University Press, 2019).
2020-03-30 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive