A Comprehensive Study on Ethno-Symbolic Advancement to Nationalism

Abstract

The ethno-symbolic approach to nationalism is one of the main views that assists in understanding the formation, sustenance, and the intrinsic make up of a nation in the context of symbols, myths, values, and traditions in the formation and persistence of the modern nation-state. This method focuses on the role that symbols, myths, values, and traditions play in the formation and persistence of modern nation-states. Ethnosymbolism is a theory which argues that nations have a social and cultural core centred upon the myths, memories, symbols and traditions of pre-national ethnies. Ethnies are defined as "named human populations with shared ancestry, myths, histories, and cultures." This theory is an attempt to bridge the gap between the past and the present. This review article investigates the key ideas, topics, and theoretical foundations of ethnomythology, as well as its practical applications, with the primary focus being on the role that ethnic myths, historical memories, and symbols play in the formation of nations. In order to establish an understanding of the relationship between ethnosymbolism and nationalism, the author of this review essay has resorted to the most important scholarly works that have been published on the topic. In addition, the author of this essay focuses light on potential limitations associated with this perspective while simultaneously offering intriguing paths for future study initiatives. The essential part that symbols play in nationalism as a whole is being dissected, with a focus being placed on how the ethno-symbolic approach has substantially increased our understanding of the complicated nature of nationalism while simultaneously having an impact on the construction of national identity and the maintenance of that identity.