The Distinction Between Ethnic And Civic Nationalism Is Crucial

Good article by Zoe Williams in today’s Guardian. While I agree with all of her points, I wish she had made it clear that what she is talking about here is ethnic nationalism – a toxic mixture of white grievance, middle class resentment and male insecurity. There are other ways of manifesting our sense of who we are.

Take Marcus Rashford for instance. The ethnic nationalists have no place for him in their racialist concept of what it means to be English. Yet his sense of civic duty coupled with the fact that he wears an England shirt make his a fine example of a civic nationalism based on inclusivity and equal rights for all.

I’m sure he doesn’t think of what he is doing as manifestation of civic nationalism, but for those of us whose love of our country is based on values rather than symbols, on behaviour rather than nostalgia, Marcus is someone who, by living up to those values, makes us proud.

The distinction between ethnic and civic nationalism is crucial if we want the English identity to be open to everyone who lives in England, an identity based on where you are, rather than where your grandparents were from. To shy away from making this distinction because we are uncomfortable with any expression of nationalism is to leave the definition of who does and does not belong in our society to the ethnic nationalists.

As Zoe points out, there are plenty among the right wing media who wish to portray the ethnic nationalists as the authentic voice of the English people. Those of us who want to live in a diverse society need to counter that tendency by embracing the idea of a civic English identity based on shared space and values, rather than the narrow belligerence of blood and soil.