The National Mind: Political Authority, Collective Identity, and the Enduring Psychology of Nationalism

Nationalism remains one of the most influential and persistent political forces, shaping identities, political institutions, and collective behavior across societies. This thesis examines why nationalism endures by analyzing it as both a political ideology and a psychological tool of identity formation through a theoretical and qualitative analysis of various scholars and providing a synthesis of various theories. While a plethora of scholarship treats nationalism as a political phenomenon, this thesis argues that its enduring power not only lies in the political field, but between political structures and psychological processes. The first section of the thesis traces the historical progression of nationalism from the Enlightenment era through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, examining key theorists such as Rousseau, Herder, Bismarck, and Chamberlain, and analyzing how nationalism became embedded in monumental political institutions and movements, such as Hitler's Nazi Germany. The second section draws on psychological theories, particularly those in social psychology with a focus on Social Identity Theory, to explore how group identity, emotional belonging, propaganda, and obedience to authority shapes nationalist sentiments and mobilizes a joint effort. The final section integrates these political and psychological perspectives to analyze contemporary nationalist movements, with a focus on the United States, specifically President Trump's presidency. The thesis leaves the reader with a synthesis of what this means in respect to the individual. By combining findings from political and psychological theories, this thesis synthesizes and argues that nationalism persists not only because of political institutions or historical traditions, but because it fulfills the deep human need for belonging, identity, and meaning. Understanding nationalism through this interdisciplinary framework provides a more comprehensive explanation for its endurance and its continuing influence in modern democracies.