“Imagined states: nationalism, utopia, and longing in oral cultures”

The theme of this project was “Imagined states: nationalism, utopia, and longing in oral cultures,” edited by Luisa Del Giudice and _Gerald Porter. The purpose of this primary source is to research and analyze the function or effect of phenomenological and existential others (human, political, animal, and mythic) in the process of cultural self-identification. The editors concentrated on the structuring and integration of empowering metaphors in the form of ’imagined states,’ stressing humankind’s constructs in the shape of locations, worlds, and mental territories in the formation of this main source (Del and Porter 3). It is possible for the states to engage in the metaphoric functioning, as well as designation of the psychological and mythic or geographic and political aspects or entities.

The primary source depicts different socio-political, ethnographic contexts, and historical contexts of the existing states. The source incorporates various essay questions in the exploration of the interdependence of the states. For instance, the essays are essential in the course of examining the imagining or construction of the states concerning the national, existential, and national. Moreover, the collection of essays aims at examining the creation of the boundaries between national and ethnic groups by the permutations of the states between genders, animal worlds, and human entities.

The source also questions the frequency of the process to entail demonization, as well as an idealization of the oppositions within the context of the oral cultures. For example, the text incorporates the illustration in which the national type of the Irishman sought to demonize the English broadside tradition. In the same way, the American gringo demonizes the Mexican border, corridor (Del and Porter 3). Various essays in the text are essential in the examination or exploration of the ideological conceptualization or construction of the United Nation, racial stereotyping of the Turks in the context of Germany, and the growing influence of the colonial folklore discourse in the generation of the de-historicized Indian identity (Naithani).

From the text, it is possible to note that the construction of the imagined states might occur within the symbolic order as evident in the historical implications and contexts concerning the re-emergence of the mythic pasts of the various nationalistic movements. For example, the text incorporates the case of the Italian Risorgimento as a valuable aspect of the re-emergence of the constructions of the mind (Del and Porter 3). Notably, the creation or conceptualization of the modern states demands the symbolic assessment of reality in the midst of consistent contest and redevelopment with the enormous interests of the existing or established power. Historical practitioners have been able to highlight the reassuring nature of these vigilant realignments based on the ability to legitimize the sanctioned global perspective, as well as the desirable interests of the power structures.

The process tends to involve demonization of the outsiders and the eventual idealization of the safely distant, unattainable, and imagined territories. Categorically, in the construction of the states concerning the modern British, the Englishness sought to depict diminishing of the outsiders such as the Indians and the Irish. On the other hand, the Germans were able to express their growing obsession with the Turks for equal or similar reasons. Similarly, the Europeans were able to engage in the peddling of the similar narratives regarding the land of plenty to the different Africans (Del and Porter 3). Besides, in the process of luring the slaves to the land, same tactics and aspects were essential in the achievement of the goals and targets of the established or existing powers.

In one of the secondary sources, Michelle Hilmes sought to conceptualize the essence of the imagined communities. In the guiding discussion, Anderson sought to express that nationalism has different historical origins rather than the Eurocentric perceptions. According to his perspective, it is vital to engage in comparing religious constructions of the community and identity as other political ideologies (Hilmes 356). This is through the assessment of the role of nationalism as a matter of symbolism, categories of consciousness, and social relationships. Evidently, Anderson was able to present nationalism as an approach of imagining, thus, the platform to oversee the construction or creation of various communities. It is possible to imagine the nation as a community. This is because of the tendency of the practitioners to conceive the nation as the horizontal or deep comradeship in spite of the existing inequality and exploitation at different levels.

In the expression or illustration of these perceptions, Michelle Hilmes focused on the use of the radio to depict voices across the nation. In this aspect, it is valuable for the practitioners to use the radio technology as a tool for tuning various individuals in the creation of the shared experience, thus, imagining of the nation or states (Hilmes 358). Historians have been able to acknowledge the dominant social tensions of the historical period through communicating such elements through music, narrative drama, and comedy. The radio provides the opportunity for the unification of the thoughts, purposes, and ideals in the construction or development of the strong connection between people, thus, the platform for the generation of the essence of nationalism. Hilmes uses these tactics in the illustration of the role of the visual cues in the creation of the foundation for the society, as well as the use of the appearance as a social indicator. The text also highlights the use of language in expressing representations of elements such as gender, race, and ethnicity.

Benedict Anderson focused on the usage of his 1983-publication to offer the desired understanding of the on-going discussion of nationalism and elements of the imagined communities (Anderson 11). Evidently, Anderson was able to regard the creation of the imagined communities based on the willingness of the countless people to sacrifice themselves. Categorically, the imagined communities’ publications focused on placing the American at the center of the analysis rather than Europe. Based on the primary and secondary sources, it is appropriate to note that nationalism was able to emerge in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in the context of the United States, Brazil, and previously Spanish colonies before the emergence of such aspects in most of Europe.

It is essential to conceptualize the development of nationalism and imagined states as creations of the mind regarding the willingness of the people to express cultural transformation and development. The secondary sources are critical in depicting the views of the primary source in their illustration of the thinking on the imagined states. Notably, the secondary sources are vital in the elaboration of the views of the primary source based on the approach by the authors to consider exploration of evidence from unique sources on the phenomena under investigation.

Works Cited

Anderson, Benedict, ‘Cultural Roots,’ in Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism, Verso Books, 2006.

Del Giudice, Luisa, and Gerald Porter, “Imagined States: Nationalism.” Utopia and Longing in Oral Culture (Logan, UT: Utah University Press, 2001) (2001).

Hilmes, Michelle, “Radio and the imagined community,” The sound studies reader. Nueva York, S (2012): 351-363.