Abstract This paper discusses the NationalGuard, America's militia, exploring its critical importance to America's success in wars between 1776 and 1918. The paper explains that the NationalGuard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and one of the nation's longest-enduring institutions. The paper presents a brief history of the role played by the NationalGuard in America's military history, with an examination of its specific, incalculable contributions during the War of 1812 and the Spanish-American War.
From the Paper "American's history parallels the National Guard's history. The roots of the National Guard emanate from the various colonial militias organized by English colonists during the 1600s. The actual moniker "National Guard" was initially utilized used by units of the New York State Militia. The use of the name was in reference to the Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette, during his visit to the United States in 1825. "After the American Revolution, the Marquis had returned to France where he commanded the Paris militia, the famous "Garde Nationale," during the French Revolution. By the 1880s, the new designation had been adopted by state militias throughout the United States." In 1877, for instance, the Iowa Militia was officially renamed the Iowa National Guard."
Abstract This paper studies the formation and emergence of the U.S. Army Reserves and NationalGuard, from volunteer state run militias to a federal reserve and federally controlled NationalGuard. Through the Spanish American War of 1898, the Dick Act of 1903, the National Defense Acts and two World Wars, this paper traces the wars and events that shaped and molded a modern military power. The paper also examines the political and social ramifications of establishing an extended military.
From the Paper "Throughout American history, Americans have generally disliked a strong military. This "antimilitarism" as some historians' term it has dated back since the Revolutionary War. One prominent historian reports: "in resentment of red-coat garrisons in the colonies before the American Revolution, their presence becoming the primary cause of the Revolution." A standing army came to be depicted as a threat to individual liberties and as an oppressor of republican governments. Most people saw the military as only necessary in war, thus the general idea was that the army was praised during war but ridiculed during peacetime."
Tags: american, army, emory, guard, ii, military, national, reforms, reserves, spanish, upton, war, world
Abstract This paper looks at how thirteen seconds on May 4, 1970, became immortalized in history after members of the Ohio NationalGuard opened fire on student protesters, killing four and wounding several others. It discusses how the event became a symbol of the division in America that had plagued the country during the preceding decade and raised many questions about the direction of Americans civil rights. It discusses how it was the bloody end to the standoff between liberal and conservatives, both at Kent and in America as a whole.
From the Paper "During the 1960s the small Asian country Vietnam became a major battle ground in the cold war. As America's involvement in the civil war increased it became clear that there was another battle being fought on the college campuses of America. The nature of the anti-war movements, while held together through various national organizations, varied greatly from campus to campus. ?The type of relationship antiwar students had with university administrators, prowar students, law enforcement agencies, and community residents determined the mode of dissent as well as the way in which confrontation unfolded.? "
Abstract This paper discusses how the executive branch of government has slowly and steadily provided itself with increasing amounts of power for the past five years, since September 11. The paper looks at three options that would curtail the presidential powers. The paper maintains that the best scenario is to have the power and responsibility of homeland security moved entirely to the NationalGuard with a mandate that the three executive branches of government have to approve of and sign off on any decision to declare war.
Outline:
Introduction
How It Happened
How To Get It Done
How To Do It
Conclusion
From the Paper "From the inception of America, society has held the executive branches of government responsible for its use of power. There have always been checks and balances in place to prevent one branch from having more power than the other branches with respect to their place(Ginsberg), however the events of 9-11 has created many changes in governmental power and today many grass roots groups are concerned that the presidential executive branch has worked to provide itself with an unbalanced amount of power. Today the executive branch has a significant amount of influence and power over the other governmental branches. This was done in a step by step process using America's fear and anger at being attacked on American soil, but the end result was an overabundance of power being given to the presidential office without anyone for it to answer to."
A look at the events surrounding the CBS news report by anchor Dan Rather's regarding apparent gaps in George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air NationalGuard.
Abstract On September 8, 2004, CBS news anchor Dan Rather aired a report on apparent gaps in presidential candidate George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air NationalGuard. In order to portray these gaps as evidence that Bush had received preferential treatment, Rather relied on memos that had allegedly been written by Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Killian, one of Bush's superiors during the early 1970's. Immediately after Rather's report, bloggers across the Internet began to raise doubts about the authenticity of these memos. By describing how the bloggers' suspicions eventually led to Rather's downfall, this paper attempts to show that the scandal revolved, not around the actual facts of Bush's service, but around the methods that CBS had used to gather and present documentary evidence.
From the Paper "The report that aired on "60 Minutes Wednesday" featured an exclusive interview with Ben Barnes, a former lieutenant governor of Texas and speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, who said that he helped get Bush into the Texas Air National Guard at the pinnacle of the Vietnam War. As mentioned above, the report included documents from 1972 that were allegedly written by the late Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, one of Bush's former commanders. The Lt. Col. had previously alleged that Bush's Guard records had been "scrubbed" to hide information. The story was part of an investigation alleging that Bush benefited from political favoritism in getting out of commitments to the Texas Guard. The documents, supposedly made by Killian, included criticisms of Bush's service in the Guard and allegedly showed that Bush disobeyed orders. "
A research study looking at the impact nationalism has had on Europe and, in particular, the way in which nationalism as an ideological concept is perceived and understood.
Abstract This paper explores the assumption that the views and theories about nationalism are to a great extent determined by the dominant theories, philosophies and perceptions of the age. In this sense it is a contention of this paper that modern nationalism needs to be understood within the context of the broader issues of modern and postmodern speculative thought. This paper also attempts to ascertain the way that theorists and thinkers over the years have understood and influenced the concept and ideology of nationalism. The study therefore provides an overview of the salient most cogent theories and perspectives on the changing views of nationalism. Additionally, the paper attempts to refer these theories and counter theories to actual contemporary situations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
What is Nationalism?
Nationalism and Ideology
Cultural Nationalism Romanticism and Nationalism Nationalism as a Social Construction
Hobsbawm and Geller
Summations and Reflections
From the Paper "It is something of a truism to say that ethnic and nationalist movements have become a dominant force in the world in the past century. It is also relatively easy to forecast that the future of Europe will be shaped to a great extent by nationalistic imperatives and philosophies. One only has to look at the recent history of Eastern Europe and the Balkans for general and tentative conformation of these assumptions. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the fragmentation of the region have allowed nationalisms and ethnic groups to emerge in many areas. And, according to modern theorists of nationalism, we are also seeing the invention of new "nationalisms" that are being constructed by political and ideological forces - sometimes with devastating consequences."
Abstract The writer of this paper contends that the reason the internet is such a big part of globalization is due to the fact that for the first time in history, any individual in any part of the world can communicate in a completely uncensored way over the entire planet. This paper focuses on the combination of nationalism and isolationism within the realm of the internet. This paper examines the advantages of nationalism that began to flourish, thanks in large part to internet technology, as the first world nations and the rest of the industrialized world separated itself from the less capable or developed nations. This paper analyzes the numerous aspects of the internet which are far different from other mediums as it provides a way to present information in a variety of approaches, each uniquely different and targeted to a specific audience. The paper also discusses the downside to the internet and advanced technology, in that it has become a source of isolationism in many third world countries. The writer claims that internet access on a global scale has a definite negative stigma which has been termed the 'digital divide.' This paper examines how the movement of globalization and strong nationalism has isolated third world nations. The writer contends that while nationalism flourishes, attention must be given to the those third world countries that have become more and more isolated due to their inability to bring technology to their citizens.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Internet
Nationalism & Globalization
Isolationism
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The internet is basically a way for organizations, parties and movements to present them selves in the same way as we would look at a magazine, newspaper, radio shows or television presentations. The unique aspects of the Internet that is different from these other mediums because it provides a way to present information in a plethora of ways, each way uniquely different for however the target audiences may be. In the same respect, the Internet can personalize 'homepages,' or web sites to also present a very individual message for different audiences. The Internet, therefore, is a much more public and at the same time personal provider of information. This also entails that a majority of the Internet is completely dominated by individual users such as newsgroups, chats, BBS while other parts are completely commercial business related."
Abstract This paper attempts to provide a more critical examination of what is meant by nationalism by looking to two works of fiction ? the 1919 Mr Standfast by John Bucan and the 1933 mystery novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. Both of these novels develops ideas of nationalism that are rooted in the historical concerns of these moments in time. Both in many ways now seem to us rather quaintly nostalgic. However, it is important to understand how very much the ideas ? and ideals ? of nationalism that are expressed in these two books are still with us today.
From the paper:
"We are currently surrounded with reminders of how the fabric of nationalism is woven: This has, of course, been especially true since the attacks on American on the 11th of September. It has become increasingly difficult to go anywhere now without seeing flags or other forms of patriotism and nationalism. And yet, while the heart may indeed swell at such demonstrations, the current uprising of nationalist sentiment provides a moment not only for us to join together in mutually felt pride in our nation but also to examine precisely what it is that nationalism means."
Abstract This paper explains that Umut Ozkirimli stated in ?Theories of Nationalism? that nationalism has been around for more than two hundred years, but serious scholarly examinations of the origins and spread of nationalism did not begin to pick up momentum until after WWII. The author points out that this book is best when arguing Ozkirimli's perspective and bringing others? views to light. The paper relates that Anthony Smith's book seeks to separate ?nationalism? from ?national identity?.
From the Paper "Smith points out that Gellner (whose ideas and work appear on 44 pages of Ozkirimli's book, but in only 3 pages of Smith's book), the ?modernist,? says nationalism (page 71) ?is not the awakening of nations to self-consciousness; it invents nations where they do not exist,? albeit it does need some "pre-existing differentiating marks to work on"? That statement is disputable, given the nationalism that has run its course in the 20th Century. Did Hitler awaken Germany to self-consciousness in the late 1930s, adroitly exploiting the German common man's resentment for the outcome of WWI? The answer has to be yes."
Abstract This paper argues that ,while environmental treaties are justified in their interference with issues traditionally related to state sovereignty, such interference allows nations to challenge environmental treaties. It explains that this was very clear in the case of the Convention on Climate Change when several nations, such as the United States and China, refused to abide by the treaty, and even more, did not follow its terms even after agreeing to them. The writer points out that one of the most noticeable factors here is that it is mainly the industrialized or developed nations that have the power and strength to openly defy these treaties, while the Third World countries cannot for the simply reason that financial aid is, to some degree, partly dependant upon their national environmental laws. In this sense, an imbalance develops whereby the developed world has the choice to either reject or accept those treaties, and the Third World largely does not. From an analysis of this imbalance, and after proving it with reference to a number of global environmental treaties, this paper argues that the only solution lies in the creation of an international body for global environmental governance in which nations, regardless of their economic and political status, are equally represented. The aim of such a body would be to ensure respect for environmental treaties, eliminate imbalance,s and respond to one basic truth: the environment is a shared space, and one nation's abuse of it affects the lives of all people across the world. Thus, state sovereignty is an irrelevant issue here, as no nation has sovereignty over the environment.
From the Paper "The concept of national sovereignty has, since the emergence of nation-states, been regarded as sacred. At least, citizens and national governments have regarded their nation's sovereignty as sacred. That attitude was eventually transferred into law. Thereby, international law and treaties currently acknowledge and protect the principle of national sovereignty, conceding to a nation's rights to self determination and to resistance of external interventions in internal or national policies and decision making processes. However, while sovereignty is a popularly acknowledged and jealously protected political principle, sovereignty is not absolute and has its limitations. These limitations are defined by the interests of other nations and the collective welfare of all people and countries. Hence, no nation is absolutely sovereign and no government has the authority to act as it wishes within its national borders, arguing that it is protected by the principle of sovereignty. The simple fact of the matter is that in various international issues, most especially those relating to environmental policies, no country should have absolute sovereignty since, as emphasized by Robert Goodland and Herman Daly, the environment is not national but international or "universal" (1002-1003). Consequently, as relates to the environment, the concept of national sovereignty is a contentious issue."
Abstract Even though these concepts seem very similar, this paper uses contemporary examples to show the difference between a nation and a nation-state. It discusses the history of Zionism, the "Nation of Islam" quest by African-Americans, and the ongoing wars in the Balkans. It also looks at different factors taken into account when defining these concepts - religion, history and culture.
From the Paper "Defining the difference between a nation and a nation-state can seem more like a bit of philosophical hair-splitting than a useful distinction for a political scientist to make in analyzing the present global situation. However, to better understand the assumptions that underline the terms of "nation" and "nation state" it is useful to unpack such concepts before passing judgement on what is a nation or a nation state in the real world of lived political existence."
Tags:nationalism, culture, religion, history, society, zionism, balkan
This paper reviews Minxin Pei's article "The Paradoxes of American Nationalism" and discusses the two paradoxes Pei has identified regarding American nationalism.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 1 source, 2002, $ 71.95
Abstract Nationalism in the United States is somewhat a blurred idea in the political arena. In the article "The Paradoxes of American Nationalism" Minxin Pei identifies two paradoxes of American nationalism at a general level and at the policymaking level. First, the United States is a highly nationalistic country but it is not regarded as nationalistic. Second, on a similar count policymakers in the United States have a very poor appreciation of the power of nationalism.
Abstract In this article, the writer compares and contrasts the League of Nations and the United Nations as international organizations formed to maintain peace and international cooperation. The writer discusses the League's role in reducing international tensions and its limited effectiveness. Further, the writer discusses the complexity of the United Nations as an organization.
From the Paper Inis L. Claude stated that 'One World' is in some respects an idea land an aspiration born of modern interpretations of ancient moral thoughts and of rational estimates of the requirements for human survival. Both the League of Nations and its successor the United Nations were created as international organizations with a vested interest in maintaining the peace, preventing war, creating a mechanism or set of mechanisms for international cooperation and diplomacy and otherwise serving as trustees of ... "
Abstract This paper discusses Boyd Shafer's definition of the meaning of modern nationalism in his book "Faces of Nationalism: New Realities and Old Myths", as well as the authors take on the realities and myths of modern nationalism. The paper further discusses Shafer's belief in internationalism over nationalism and provides some biographical data on author as well.
From the Paper Shafer's "Faces of Nationalism" is an expansion and reinterpretation of his book, "Nationalism: Myth and Reality". In the preface to the book Shafer cites his purpose as a historical study of the faces, the realities and myths of modern nationalism. In spite of more than two books on the subject as well as learned papers, Shafer states that he does not believe that he..."
Abstract This paper reviews Liah Greenfeld's 1992 book "Nationalism: Five Roads to Modernity". The paper looks at the book's concept of nationalism and its development and transformation in England, France, Russia, Germany and the United States. The paper explains Greenfield's idea that nationalism is a historical force that plays a significant role in shaping national identity.
From the Paper "Author Liah Greenfeld is an eminent authority on the subject of nationalism. After receiving her doctoral degree from the Hebrew University, specializing in sociology and social anthropology she became an instructor in the United States and currently is a professor at Boston University in sociology and political science. In tracing the rise of nationalism, Greenfeld employs an interdisciplinary approach that combines political science with sociology, mainly the theories of Max Weber. Using Weber's idea, Greenfeld views modernity..."
Tags:Nationalism, Modernity, Greenfeld, England, France, Russia, Germany, USA, Book, Historical
