European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

8.Boderline Europeans:Nationalisms and FundamentalismsXabier Etxeberría MauleónHuman Rights InstituteUniversity of Deusto, SpainThe title that I was proposed for my presentation, included in thesession entitled “Does a rejection of the European model exist?”,explicitly prejudges that nationalisms and fundamentalisms are ratheragainst the process of European construction or are at least incessantlyhindering it, feeling foreign to it. Matching both notions might also beprejudging that they are similar concepts, sharing the same fanatical,intolerant and domineering negativism. In order to know to what extentthese prejudgements are actually consistent, I deem it appropriate todivide this paper into two parts, one for each phenomenon. Bothsections will begin with a definition of the notion in question. Next, therole each of the notions is playing in the construction of Europeanidentity will be analysed. To conclude, some guidelines to react againstthe results of the previous analysis will be suggested.Nationalisms and European IdentityClarifications to the notion of NationalismThere is a manifest plurality of opinions amongst scholars trying tocome up with definitions for the interrelated notions of nation andnationalism. Whilst acknowledging that my proposal might arousecontroversy, yet believing that without a definition of both terms wecannot advance, I shall view nationalism as the political option whichsustains that nations —amongst which is, obviously, one´s own— havethe right to external self-determination —to relate to other nations on