THE SYNTHESIS OF CIVIC AND CULTURAL NATIONALISM IN THE CONCEPT OF THE SWISS NATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-1067-2025-3-133-139Keywords:
Switzerland, civic nation, cultural nationalism, nation-building, national identity, political values, linguistic pluralismAbstract
The article delves into the evolution of the concept of the Swiss nation through an analysis of the Swiss policy of nation-building. Within the framework of the ethno-symbolic approach, the author examines the value and symbolic resources used to construct the Swiss national identity. The peculiarities of the political structure of Switzerland and the division of society along religious and linguistic lines led to the formation of a "voluntary nation" (Willensnation), united by its political values and institutions. However, in the 1930s, the Swiss national discourse was transformed by the threat from the nationalist policies of Germany and Italy. The Swiss policy of nation-building was reoriented from civic nationalism to cultural nationalism to identify the real characteristics demonstrating the identity and unity of the national community. To achieve this goal, Switzerland's political and intellectual elite began to actively promote national history, culture, and geography among the population. As a result of the study, the main elements of Swiss cultural nationalism are identified: Alpine determinism and cultural diversity. The author concludes that cultural nationalism complements the concept of a "voluntary nation" and justifies the national unity of Swiss society, despite its religious and linguistic heterogeneity.References
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