Sociopolitical possibilities of de-nationalized patriotism: A theoretical discussion

This study focuses on patriotism in its historical and theoretical dimensions. The study aims to distinguish between patriotism and nationalism and to reveal the historical and theoretical differences between the two; thus, without falling into the mistake of using the two concepts interchangeably in everyday use, the study aims to focus mainly on patriotism and, in the meantime, to clarify its relation with nationalism and to discuss the possibilities of patriotism free of nationalism in the context of this interest. In this context, the main research question of the study is as follows: Is it possible for the ideas of de-nationalized patriotism to find a social response and become widespread and mass? Taking into account the political, social and economic conditions of today's world, the aim of the study is to determine whether the idea of patriotism free of nationalism has the possibility of mass popularization. Throughout the study, we first focus on the transformation of the concept of patriotism from antiquity to the eighteenth century and the process of gaining political meaning from the eighteenth century onwards. Then, the transformative effect of nationalism, which emerged as a political program after the French Revolution, on the idea of patriotism is given. Then, the theoretical relationship between patriotism and nationalism is discussed and it is revealed that patriotism has become an adjective on the axis of nationalism in the face of the gradual strengthening of nationalism. Then, the criteria used to classify patriotism today are mentioned and five different types of patriotism are explained. Afterwards, definitions of patriotism that are free from nationalism are given and these definitions are subjected to classification in the context of the five types of patriotism. Then, based on the definitions of patriotism free of nationalism, the ideal-type fiction of patriotism was constructed. Then, taking into account the social, political and economic conditions of today's world, it is discussed whether a patriotism in the sense of this ideal-type has the possibility of mass popularization under the current conditions. As a result of the study, it has been revealed that the possibility of mass popularization of patriotism free of nationalism in today's world is extremely limited under these conditions.