Comments on nationalism in the age of global uncertainties by Deniss Hanovs
In his lecture Deniss Hanovs examined the influence of 19th Century romantic nationalism and prevalence of ethnic nationalism in Eastern European and Baltic nations. Globalization, shaped by fluidity of borders and identities is the Other of romantic nationalism, the enemy of a national community. In Eastern Europe and in the Baltics a nation remains a closed community of destiny, its members bound together by various traumatic experiences, which prevent the Other from joining the community. What would happen if Eastern European and Baltic nations radically opened their borders and embraced inclusion and diversity?
Deniss Hanovs is professor of intercultural communication at Riga Stradins university, Latvia and guest lecturer at Freie Universität Berlin and Universität Wien. Hanovs articles and books cover varied range of issues, such as nationalism in Europe, inclusion of ethnic minorities in Latvia and post-colonial issues in the Baltics.