Date of Award

Spring 5-2026

Language

English

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

Advisor/Committee Chair

Cheng Chen

Abstract

In contemporary political discourse, nationalism and multiculturalism are often stated to be fundamentally opposing forces. With nationalism emphasizing unity and shared identity, and multiculturalism emphasizing cultural diversity and difference. As the world becomes more interconnected and discourse around immigration has become rampant, many nations are looking for a way to unify their currently divided populations. Multicultural nationalism has been called upon by many scholars as a potential solution to growing divisions, especially in countries with high levels of social diversity such as Australia and the United States. However, many politicians and social scientists are skeptical of this notion fearing it would cause a greater divide and would emphasize difference rather than national unity. Additionally, both predominately white conservative and liberal groups alike are weary of multiculturalism perhaps because of their fear of losing “the white majority” and/or their explicit or implicit ideas of white supremacy. This paper attempts to answer can modern states use nationalism to promote multicultural inclusion, and what are the risks of re-essentializing identity in the process? Overall, I will argue that inclusive nationalism is possible, but it inevitably re-essentializes or re-defines identity through state-defined categories. Possibly leading to new forms or types of discrimination implicitly or explicitly.

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