SOC 495: Nation-Making in the West: Exploring the Relationship between Race, Religion, and Nationalism
subjectCourse Description
This seminar course theoretically examines different expressions of nationalism. We connect nation-building projects across various contexts to the social construction of race—as legacies of imperialism and colonialism. We then empirically explore different case studies, including white Christian nationalism in the United States and far-right politics in Europe. We devote special attention to the Québec context.
task_altKey Learning Objectives
Subject Mastery
To understand key nation-building processes and different forms of nationalism
Critical Analysis
To think critically about how contemporary forms of nationalism are inextricably linked to processes of racialization and rooted in imperialism and colonialism
Theoretical Application
To creatively apply concepts and theories of nationalism to empirical case studies
Core Skill-Building
To refine reading skills for conceptualization and argumentation
event_noteCourse Schedule & Topics
Introduction and Course Overview
Introduces the core questions of the course, key concepts, and assignments.
Defining Nationalism and Debating its Origins
Examines major theoretical approaches to nationalism.
Banal Nationalism, the State and Everyday Nationalism
Explores how nationalism is reproduced through everyday practices, symbols, and state institutions.
Race and Nation-Making: The Case of Australia
Analyzes how settler colonialism and racial hierarchies shaped Australian national identity and state formation.
Race and Nation-Making Part II: The Case of Canada
Examines Canadian nation-building through the lens of race, Indigenous dispossession, and multicultural governance.
Tracing Race and Nation to Empire
Situates nationalism historically by tracing its development alongside imperial expansion and colonial rule.
Everyday Nationalism as Settler Colonialism
Explores how everyday nationalist practices continue to reproduce settler colonial structures and inequalities in contemporary states.
White Christian Nationalism in the United States
Examines the historical roots and contemporary manifestations of white Christian nationalism in U.S. politics.
The Return to Nativism in Western Europe
Analyzes the resurgence of nativist and exclusionary nationalist movements in the context of migration and globalization.
The Far Right and Canadian Exceptionalism?
Critically assesses claims of Canadian exceptionalism by examining far-right politics and nationalist mobilization in Canada.
The Case of Québec: State, Politics, and Nationalism
Examines Québécois nationalism through the role of the provincial state, language politics, and secularism.
Québécois Nationalism from Below
Explores grassroots and everyday expressions of Québécois nationalism beyond formal political institutions.
format_quoteStudent Testimonials
It was clear that Jessica cared deeply about the learning and educational improvement of her students. Her approach ensured no one was left behind, in terms of understanding course material
Jessica's support of her students was not limited to course material, she went above and beyond to support us in terms of learning methods, and guidance for our future within/outside academia.