Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Making of Nationalism: Identity, Exclusion, and Continuity from Antiquity to Modernity

Han HuangRoslyn High School* Shengyuan HeGeorge School Raymond JiangInternational School of Beijing

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper explores the basis of nationalism through three cases. Despite its ancient origins, nationalism has persisted throughout history as a strong and continual force. Beginning with the Greek conceptualization of the "Hellenes" versus "barbarians" during the Greco-Persian wars, the ideological foundation of civilization versus barbarism has been used as a tool for unity and moral justification. This was one of the earliest examples of a community mobilized through nationalism. The study then examines how the Enlightenment and 19th-century nationalist movements, notably Hungarian nationalism within the Habsburg Empire, reappropriated classical themes and narratives to assert political legitimacy and resist imperial centralization, which portrays this pragmatic form of nationalism under a similar light. Finally, the Bosnian parallel is presented. While corroborating with the established view of national identity built on created concepts and a manufactured sense of community, the limitations of purely modernist interpretations of nationalism are also questioned. In essence, the paper asserts that nationalism is rooted deeply in both historical narratives and evolving sociopolitical contexts, not one separate from the other. This multifaceted perspective builds a nuanced and balanced understanding of nationalism’s persistent relevance throughout history and its enduring place in modern nations.

Keywords: Nationalism; Hellenic Identity; Barbarian Dichotomy; Pan-Hellenism; Ausgleich (Austro-Hungarian Compromise)
Published: December 4, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.NS30254
Volume: CHR Vol.98
pp. 231-241
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