Rethinking Banal Nationalism: Banal Americanism, Europeanism and the Missing Link between Media Representations and Identities

Authors

  • Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova University of Chester

Abstract

This article questions some tacit assumptions underpinning Michael Billig’s banal nationalism concept but also confirms the ongoing relevance of aspects of his central argument. It demonstrates that the taken-for-granted link between banal flaggings of nationalism in the media and national identities is highly problematic. Drawing on a content analysis of seven TV news and current affairs programs and an audience study with 174 children in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom as well as Eurobarometer survey data on adults, this article explores two “derivatives” of banal nationalism: banal Europeanism and banal Americanism. It demonstrates that banal nationalism does not entirely work as Billig anticipated in contexts outside the respective country’s national borders, especially regarding examples of deixis in the media coverage or embedded identities.

Author Biography

Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova, University of Chester

Lecturer in JournalismVera joined the Department in February 2012 as a Lecturer in Journalism after completing her PhD at Loughborough University in 2011.  Vera is also working at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford.  Before Chester, Vera was teaching at Loughborough University. She also has industry experience. She has worked as an editor in 24 Chasa (24 Hours) – a Bulgarian daily newspaper, second in circulation in the country. Her duties involved mainly political editing and reporting, including international events such as European summits at the top.  Her research interests include children as media audiences, national and European identities, youth and the Internet, journalistic practices in Central and Eastern Europe and media agenda-setting theory. She holds a BA from the American University in Bulgaria and an MA from the University of East Anglia.9/4/13

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Published

2014-01-02

Issue

Vol. 8 (2014)

Section

Articles

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