International relations and banal nationalism: A study among primary school students

In this study, one of the fundamental dynamics of International Relations; ally-enemy fact wiht a focus on Banal Nationalism assumptions of Micheal Billig is researched among primary school students as international actors. The triangular relation between the school curriculum, the student and the theacher that can be stated as the starting point of this process is tackled in this study to analyse the inconspicuous formation on the Daily basis ally-enemy perception for other nations. In this context, the institution of the school, which constantly reminds of being a nation, has been considered as an ideological state apparatus in terms of Althusserian view. Intersubjective meanings and collective images which are constructed in consequence of shaping of the ideas of students -international actors- as the target group of scholl are evaluated on the basis of Robert Cox. As a result of the study, it is seen that primary school students' perceptions for different nations are influenced by the school institution through curriculum and teachers; it is observed that the images of ally-enemy and the meanigns of these images which are reproduced in daily life are constanly reminded through Banal signs. Key Words: Banal Nationalism, Ally-Enemy, Curriculum, Reproduction, Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)