ABSTRACT
As noted in the previous chapter, nationalism and religion are both intimately linked to Chosen Traumas and Chosen Glories. This link makes them particularly powerful identity-signifiers in times of uncertain structural conditions, with the implication that they are likely to become more persuasive rallying points than other identity-signifiers. There are at least two reasons for this. One is the close link between the history of individualism and the Enlightenment project, and that of nationalism and religion. Another is the close relationship between nationalism/religion and hierarchical race and gender structures. In the following two sections I will show how these links make nationalism and religion appear as more ‘convincing’ responses to the individual need for securitized subjectivity than other identity-signifiers. For clarification it should be noted that I give prominence to those aspects of nationalism and religion that make them powerful identity-signifiers in times of ontological insecurity and existential anxiety. These are the aspects that make fundamentalism possible in regards to both nationalism and religion. This is not to say that either nationalism or religion is fundamentalist per se or that they cannot also be positive forces.
