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From Fellowship to Fascism? Tolkien, Nationalism, and the Politics of Literary Appropriation

By Eliot Tomlinson Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings have inspired many generations, uniting readers in a shared love for epic storytelling and mythological settings. It promotes empathetical values through the union of the races in the Fellowship. This is why I was amazed to hear JD Vance, a strong anti-abortionand anti-immigration politician, claim that “a lot of (his) […]

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Divided by Rösti, United in Fondue: the complexities of Swiss nationalism

By Eliot Tomlinson Switzerland is often perceived as a maverick in international politics: a neutral, decentralised State that doesn’t quite fit the typical nation-state model. Its strong federalism, linguistic diversity, and cultural plurality raise questions about whether it can truly be understood as a nation at all. This blog explores how national symbols, particularly food, express […]

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What if France were to pay reparations to all its former colonies?

By Mathilde Balmary and Lena Colle-Tri https://assets.lls.fr/pages/6990724/doc1.jpg IntroductionIn 2003 the Haitian President Aristide gave a public speech within which he asked for reparations from France and the United States, for colonial exploitation. However, just a year after this speech, a coup was organized in order to overthrow President Aristide and his “provocative” proposition. If you […]

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“Comment est votre blanquette ?” Or the use of French Comedies as Nationalist Tools

By Mathilde Balmary Quoting the famous French agent OSS 117 might be an odd way to start an article on French nationalism, however French comedies are crucial in the shaping and debating of national identity. From Molière to modern cinema, humor has always been a way for the French to reflect on their own society. […]

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Assia Djebar – The disappearance of the French language.

Assia Djebar (1936-2015) is an Algerian author who wrote the novel : ‘The Disappearance of the French Language’. This article explores the way in which the theme of the politicisation of language by nationalist politics is expressed in this novel. It ends with a suggestion as to how its ambiguous title might be interpreted. The main character Berkane an […]

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Come on Thunder Child! Ironclads, Machines and Nationalism 

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 […]