A Pragmatic Deconstruction of the Theoretical Myths Pertaining to Nationhood and National Integration

Abstract

The phenomenon of turning a large number of people into compact nationhood has been the focus of attention for many social scientists since it requires very fine and delicate architectonic skills on the part of political/ruling elite to accomplish the desired objectives in letter and spirit. The issue becomes more interesting when a deeper insight into the sense of being a nation reveals that no singular factor has solely been the reason of this social bonding but various complex factors like religion, language, race, culture etc. gelled together various segments of the human tribes at various intervals of history. Many of the post-colonial states including Pakistan even dismembered or disintegrate because of the failure of the ruling elite to truly comprehend the sensitivity of the phenonomenon of nationhood and national integration whereas the remaining Pakistan is once again facing the problems of regionalism, subnationalism, ethnic diversity in the form of Baloch, Pahstun, Saraiki, Mohajir and Sindhi identities which situation demands from the decision-makers that the underlying theoretical foundations of nationhood should be carefully revisited and the power-shareing model/instrument currently followed in the state should be redesigned to address the grievances of the marginalized segments of the society. Keeping in view this background, the current study intends to explore the theoretical dimensions of some of the important concepts related to nationhood and nationalism extending to national integration so that a conceptual clarity might be obtained for the policy makers and think tanks in Pakistan and other countries which are facing alike issues and problems and the process of policy formulation and execution in relevant domain can be improved. Accordingly, by applying qualitative method of reasoning, the study examines the ways in which nationalism can both bind and divide societies, and probes the effects of integration policies in multi-ethnic and multicultural states. It finds that although heterogeneity/plurality exists almost everywhere but all rests with the ruling elite of any particular territory to articulate such policies which effectively and meaningfully assimilate various sub-nationalities into a larger national whole.