Nationalism
Nationalism is the idea of promoting the interests of a particular nation. Mostly it includes interests of masses for the sovereignty of their own country or homeland. Nationalists think that the best way to make this happen and avoid control or oppression by others is for each group to have their own nation. Some nationalists think this is the best way to save small and weak groups threatened by the mixing of ethnic groups. The other definition of nationalism is the 'identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations. Nationalism may refer to a state of the mind in respect of socio political phenomenon arising from its consciousness shared by people (national) of a particular country or territory.
Nationalism and imperialism[edit]
Nationalism had an important role in ending the colonial rule. Nationalism spread to colonies and made their people desire independence. Nationalism also made the people in metropolitan states (countries that colonized others) accept more the desire of other people to rule themselves. However nationalists think that the end of colonization of Africa was not done well. They think that there would not be so many conflicts in Africa if African nations had built in a nationalist way (so that every ethnic group is its own nation).
After the imperialists left their African colonies, the new nations were built with borders that were not the same as the ethnic borders. New nations became nations with many ethnic groups, which do not want to or cannot live peacefully in the same society with the others.
