Podcast Episode

The Living Jewishly Podcast

The Ethics of Nationalism

May 03, 2022 Episode 76

Living Jewishly/ Akiva Malamet

“In general, modern liberal societies trade on the idea that there is no one way to be a person.”

— Akiva Malamet

Nation, state, country… these concepts may seem straightforward and synonymous, but they contain a great deal of nuance.

Can nationalism be just a simple love of one’s country, or does it always imply a level of prejudice? Can a state be truly multinational or must it contain dominant beliefs and backgrounds? Are borders an ethical necessity?

This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics in the modern world.

In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet speaks with Akiva Malamet, a graduate student whose research deals with immigration policy and whose writings on nationalism have appeared on Libertarianism.org. Their conversation explores the rise of fervent nationalism, the thin line between patriotism and hate, and whether the idea of compulsory loyalty to a nation has any moral basis.

“Nationalism is a force to be reckoned with and highlights the deep divisions around the world about matters of identity and belonging… these arguments can start out as benign and end up as deadly.”

— Dr. Elliot Malamet

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

The modern cultural shifts that have triggered the global rise in right-wing nationalism
The definition and (comparatively recent) history of nationhood — and whether most nations may be thought of as social constructs
The nature of nationalism and whether nations should be thought of as homogenous tribes or as empires

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Highlights:‌ ‌

00:52 Intro

02:06 Culture & nationalism’s comeback

05:23 What is a nation?

08:51 How is nationalism modern?

12:50 Is the concept of “nation” valuable?

15:19 Nationalism & morality

18:33 Individual v. citizen

22:06 Russian nationalism

24:57 Megalothymia

27:49 Conclusion