Nationalism and Colonialism: Oceans, Civilizations, Races

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2020.4.3.102

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the complex interrelations between the imaginaries of nation and colony, and, by the same token, between nationalism and colonialism. The author argues that modern nationalism has always contained colonialism as its integral part and parcel. Colonies are interpreted as “mirrors” for the nation-building; while oceans, civilizations and races are the factors which keep distance between what is considered to be national and what is to be interpreted as colonial. In their turn, movement of the population, education and modernization were important tools for bridging the gaps between nations and their colonies. Russian national, Imperial and colonial experience in this context is rather anomalous, because, according to the author, it constantly blurs the existing boundaries and mix up differences. One of the interesting results of this historical experience is current insensitivity of Russian society to such pressing issues of the today’s European and American politics as the war against symbolic representations of the racist nationalism.  

Author Biography

Maxim B. Khomyakov, University of Central Asia; University of Johannesburg, South Africa; Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia

Prof. Maxim B. Khomyakov is a Dean of Arts and Sciences of the University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan), a Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies and Education at Ural Federal University (Russia), and a visiting fellow at the University of Johannesburg (South Africa). Previously, he was a vice-director of St. Petersburg campus of HSE University (2017–2020), and a vice-president at the Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009–2017). Since 2015, Prof. Khomyakov has been actively involved in establishing university collaboration in BRICS countries, and especially in founding the BRICS Network University.  His research interests include theory of modernity, theory of toleration, intellectual history of Russia, and higher education theory. His works include several books and more than 60 scholarly articles.

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Published
2020-10-09
How to Cite
Khomyakov, M. (2020). Nationalism and Colonialism: Oceans, Civilizations, Races. Changing Societies & Personalities, 4(3), 285–303. doi:10.15826/csp.2020.4.3.102
Citation Formats
Issue
Vol. 4, No. 3 (2020): Special Issue “Nationalisms in Times of Change, Changes in Nationalism”
Section
Articles