Identity Hunters
By Iris Isenegger As a nation, Switzerland subverts the conventional belief that cultural divisions bolster political instability. In a world where national unity is often equated with linguistic and ethnic homogeneity, Switzerland offers a compelling counterexample of a society thriving on diversity rather than being torn by it. Home to four official languages, over seven […]
By Mingchen Zhao With the introduction of the concept of a national flag after the Opium War (1840), China’s first national flag, the ‘Yellow Dragon Flag’, was developed by the Qing Dynasty in 1862, soon followed by several others. This article will examine Chinese flags and discuss how they reflect nationalism. Yellow Dragon Flag: The […]
By Alexander Sutherland ‘A douche of spray blinded my brother for a moment. When his eyes were clear again he saw the monster had passed and was touching landward. Big iron upper works rose out of this headlong structure, and from that twin funnels projected and spat a smoking blast shot with fire. It was […]
By Sultan Aben “I have given you a country for which you have not toiled, towns you have not built although you lie in them, vineyards and olive groves you have not planted, although you eat their fruit.” Joshua 24:13 (NIV) For many, the Book of Joshua is foundational for the nation of Israel. The […]
By Jinchen Li Nestled along the Adriatic coast of Croatia, the city of Rijeka—once called Fiume by Italians—appears at first glance to be a picturesque seaside town. However, Fiume was much more than that; it was a milestone experimental ground for modern nationalism and the dreamland of a poet. That poet was Gabriele D’Annunzio, a […]
By Meng Xu [Picture 1: Hanfu enthusiasts showcase traditional Hanfu during an ACG Expedition in Beijing, 2020] Hanfu (汉服), or the clothing of the Han people, has become a popular topic in China over the past few years, attracting attention both domestically and internationally. It has been identified and harnessed by the Chinese Communist Party […]
By Sophiya Duale Colonial souvenirs tell a tale of how conquest can be converted into cultural sophistication. Britain’s imperial ambitions weren’t satisfied with territorial conquest, they extended into the cultural realm, crafting national prestige through collections of foreign treasures. Displaying ‘exotic’ acquisitions served beyond decorating museums with new shiny objects. They became a performance of […]
By Alessandro Colletti Very few know that the Ainu are the only people that still perform a ritual called Iomante, aimed at sending bears’ spirits back to nature. But in all fairness, few know who the Ainu are in the first place. And there is an unfortunate reason for this. The Ainu people are the native inhabitants […]
By Julien McCallin The word ‘sinister’, meaning something evil, means ‘on the left side’ in Latin (7). Meanwhile, its opposite ‘dexter’ (on the right side), gave the word dextrous, designating someone gifted with his hands. Even the word ‘ambidextrous’, referring to someone with similar ease in both his hands, means ‘having 2 right hands’ (7). […]
