Digital Nationalism

Nations are not ancient, natural, eternal, or inevitable. They are social or cultural constructs. Benedict Anderson famously called them imagined communities.

Imagined not real

A nation is “imagined” because most citizens do not know each other, do not speak one language, do not belong to the same ethnicity or race, and do not even worship the same god(s), but still imagine they share a bond with other citizens. What is it that unites them? It’s an idea and this idea, according to Anderson and many other scholars, gradually developed, over centuries, as education spread and production of large quantities of books and newspapers contributed to the growth and spread of common ideas, including nationalism.

The power of digital transformation, significantly contributes to the promotion of  Digital nationalism Digital identity and National narratives.

Today, print media has largely been replaced by digital media. Social media is the new battleground for ideas and narratives. So, states are engaged in digital nationalism i.e. using digital technologies to promote their version of nation (imagined community) and to reject all other imagined communities.

States are using digital technologies to bring all their citizens together and highlighting differences with other people. From patriotic songs’ ringtones to national days hashtags to WhatsApp groups promoting national culture to applications that make national flag background of one’s display picture on Facebook to thousands of bots eulogizing founding fathers (and mothers), digital nationalism is everywhere.

The internet connects individuals globally, fostering a sense of digital nationalism and shaping national narratives through interactive digital narratives and storytelling.

Nationalism could stand transformed through the evolution of digital technology and social media, spreading around the world and affecting digital identity and national narratives. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and TikTok play a significant role in this shift. Social media algorithms and internet platforms by major tech companies have facilitated the rise of digital nationalism. These online spaces often reinforce pre-existing beliefs, nationalistic rhetoric, and enable social movements.

It is important to control fake news to prevent chaos. The internet connects individuals globally, fostering a sense of digital nationalism and shaping national narratives through interactive digital narratives and storytelling.