Maria Paulyn R.

Gonzales
BSHM 3.1B

Creole Pioneers

1. What is the reading all about?

 It’s all about the concept of an imagined community to explore nationalism
in his 1983 book imagined communities. In imagined communities,
Benedict Anderson argues that the nation is a new, modern phenomenon.
The 17th and 18th century witnessed the demise of previous forms
political bodies that were shaped by a sacred language, sacred cosmology
and dynastic power, and sense of historical temporality shaped by
cosmology. Material conditions and rationalist perception of ‘homogenous
empty time’ created the structures where individuals could conceptualize
themselves as part of an ‘imagined community.’ The imagined community
is one in which members will not know most of their fellow members, is
finite with limited boundaries, sovereign power, and a community of
fraternal, horizontal comradeship.
2. What did you learn from the article?
 I learned that nationalism, defines the nation as a fabrication, a bond
between people that did not actually exist prior to its own recognition. He
states that, “It is an imagined community - and imagined as both inherently
limited and sovereign”. Anderson believes that the nation is imagined
because members of this nation don’t know most of their compatriots but
still have a communal image; it is built based on recognition of
commonality, not the commonality itself. Because of these nations and
imagined communities are sovereign, because the concept was born
when Enlightenment destroyed thoughts of divinely-ordained legitimacy
and hierarchy.
3. How does the article relate to the lesson?
 it relates to the lesson because it is all about national consciousness the
piece is relevant to the lesson. nationalism is referring to the loyalty of an
individual or a group to a nation. and this term is primarily used when
referring to a group that elevates the status of one nation above others
and focuses on the degradation of others' cultures or the promotion of
their own. Nationalism isn’t just pride in one’s country. It goes beyond that.
Nationalists think that their country is superior to other countries.
4. How does it develop and/or promote nationalism to you?
 For me nationalism is an idea and movement that holds the nation
should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism
tends to promote the interests of a particular nation as in a group
of people, especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the
 nation's sovereignty self-governance over its homeland.
Nationalism holds that each nation should govern itself, free from
outside interference self-determination, that a nation is a natural
and ideal basis for a polity and that the nation is the only rightful
source of political power popular sovereignty. It further aims to
build and maintain a single national identity, based on shared
social characteristics of culture, ethnicity, geographic location,
language, politics or the government, religion, traditions and belief
in a shared singular history, and to promote national unity or
solidarity.
5. How does it develop and/or patriotism to you?
 I can promote patriotism through learning about U.S. history, a fascinating
topic. Our Founding Fathers did many things to unify the thirteen colonies,
and the United States is providing me with many opportunities because
we were able to work together. Our presidents have done a lot for the
country and their help was highly significant, so I can venerate their
contribution to promote patriotism. However, we can show nationalism and
patriotism to our country in different ways but the best thing to do is to give
respect to the Philippine Flag and the national anthem.
6. How does it develop and/or promote volunteerism to you?
 As I’ve had realized that volunteerism is not just about a voluntary act of
an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service.
The willingness to sacrifice their live and give up. during the spanish era,
volunteering was not exactly voluntary it was countrymen where they are
pressured to volunteer and suffered the consequences of a colonizers
‘actions.