Benedict Anderson About Nationalism (In mijn vaders huis, 1994)

Anil Ramdas interviews Benedict Anderson about his book "Imagined communities"
The introduction is in Dutch.
See the English transcript of the introduction below:
"What the eye is for the lover, is language for the patriot.
Because in the national language, according to Benedict Anderson, we imagine a community to which we belong.
The community, the nation that has always been there and gives us a sense of connection with people that we will never meet, but of whom we know that they exist.
They are our peers, we share the same language, a same history, believe the same myths, have the same habits and we read the same newspapers.
With this approach on Nationalism, Benedict Anderson entered an area which had been anxiously avoided by other scientists.
Nationalism was a scary thing, it incited murder, racism and anti-Semitism.
Benedict Anderson disagrees, Nationalism is exactly what the word says love for the fatherland.
A love for the place where you were born, where you feel at home, where you can instinctively communicate in your mother tongue. A love for the symbols that give that place a special value. The flag, the national anthem, the festive memorials.
This love can be neglected for a long period of time and even seem ridiculous at times. Till that time when the fatherland is being threatened, humiliated or oppressed. At those times our love seems to be that intense that we are prepared to die for it.
Benedict Anderson is South-East Asia specialist at the Cornell University in New York.
He is one of 4 or 5 thinkers in the world that really has a voice in such general subjects as nation forming and Nationalism.
His book "Imagined Communities" was translated into multiple languages and even made into a movie. It's a book in which it is impossible to underline the important passages, because you would otherwise have to underline the whole book.
He himself says about the book that it maybe peculiar that it was written someone who was born in China, grew up in three different countries, speaks with an antiquated English accent, has an Irish passport, lives in the United States and from there studies the cultures of Indonesia and Thailand.
This and other peculiar things about language and nationalism will be the subject of our conversation"

[@iloveowls8748]

What strikes me is that we don't have any shows like these anymore. Seems like there were so many of these kinds from 60's-90's, interviews with great thinkers and writers, that you could learn from actually. So saddening, now there is truly no reason to watch TV anymore.

[@captainzork6109]

There certainly are still Dutch programs like these! And there's even a KZbin channel by the "NOS". But yeah, it is transferred, in large part, to the interwebz. On the other hand, there are also events you can attend at which professors are invited to speak to the public That said, I must admit I share a feeling of nostalgia with you, that a particular type of intellectualism or civilizedness has been lost to a time gone by, replaced by other things. And, I think this feeling is founded in reality, in at least some way

[@arthurlecomte8950]

These interviews nowadays happens in other ways, like podcasts or on KZbin channels. Television has become way too commercial, and these kind of interviews aren't the biggest moneymakers.

[@PerryCuda]

Easily one of the most underrated and relevant thinkers of the post-Cold War era.

[@LGranthamsHeir]

Very saddened to hear about Prof. Ben Anderson's passing today. A great loss for Southeast Asian Studies and Nationalism scholarly communities. May he rests in Peace.

[@SaadAlSubaiei]

thanks for sharing this. very good interview. btw I like the way the interviewer style and character. and for who says he is arrogant, jus see how may times he plainly acknowledged his ignorance about certain issues on TV!

[@barbfrmsf]

may he rest in peace thanks for sharing your talent with us

[@captainzork6109]

Thank you for making accessible this wonderful interview for us

[@lipsaranidehury9919]

Thank you for sharing this masterpiece ❤️

[@peteranderson7928]

Een goed interview met wetenschapper Benedict Anderson. Hij heeft veel geschreven over de onafhankelijkheidsstrijd van Indonesie in de jaren 1947-1949. Hij is verbonden aan de Cornell University in de USA. Nationalisme is ook zijn thema als het om Indonesie gaat.

[@yuliusanovanto3575]

RIP Ben.. Ben Anderson died in Indonesia, a country that had inspired his great book, "Imagined Communities". Wonderful death... See epic moment in the ending of interview.. Time has answered.

[@loremipsum7471]

Ben Anderson is a piece of shit.

[@BAGUSVERRY]

please, dont call ben anderson like that. maybe he somthing doing wrong at life but he want to doing something

[@vernandozs1888]

Suharto and it's 32 years of military Junta and cronies are the real truckload of orangutansh*t to ever happened to the the history of Indonesia and Indoensia people.. Ben Anderson dedicated his whole life for Indonesia. Merdeka Ben Anderson!, May God rest your soul. - from real Indonesian.

[@SurfistaCamad]

Thank you for uploading this, great to hear from the man himself after having read his great book "Imagined Communities"

[@nhialbenyihok417]

The genius whose analysis changed my thinking towards politics and humanity.

[@shaleh.alghifari]

What an intellect and humanist he is!

[@Casinooos]

Thanks for the upload! A really good interview, enjoyed it a lot :)

[@junomathilda]

One of my favorite thinkers! Amazing

[@houshangkhatmi5611]

wonderful conversation about Nationalism.

[@stevej1287]

I actually think the interviewer is asking very good questions. I would have loved to see James C Scott and Benedict Anderson have a conversation about nationalism and minority communities.

[@monikankanakalita507]

This is the reason why I like to have assignments sometimes. A beautiful 45.30 🌼

[@jurtjeisok]

What I don’t understand about the interview is that on the one hand Anderson (convincingly in my opinion) argues that nationalism is peculiar since nationalism is relatively arbitrary and empty as compared to other isms. But then paradoxically at the end of the interview he seems to seriously contemplate for which nation he would be prepared to give his life.

[@llamzrt]

I took it as a wonderful display of honest, nuanced thinking. For it does not necessarily follow that a concept must be abandoned once it has been identified as arbitrary. We all rely on a degree of arbitrariness (seeming or otherwise) to grant meaning to our lives. Nation, family, life itself -- all arbitrary, in the end.

[@TavgaHawramy]

Thanks for sharing that intelligent identity building argument

[@renebarendse2864]

May Anil Ram Das and Benedict Anderson both Rest in Peace. Note that by Dutch standards of 2015 I am stuck by how polite and well-informed he is. To the deaths nothing but good HOWEVER what Anderson says about Dutch is not true. Dutch dictionaries remound to the sixteenth century and the Dutch elite always spoke Dutch going back to the Middle Ages. To answer a question about Suriname: Suriname Srantong was called 'neger Engels' by the Dutch and speaking it at school was strictly prohibited.

[@Overlorddz]

Dat is niet helemaal waar, in Nederland sprak de elite voornamelijk Frans (de laatste woorden van Willem van Oranje waren ook in het Frans). Het volk sprak Nederlands. Er is na Willem van Oranje veel moeite gedaan om de taal van het volk prominenter te maken.

[@ohhi5237]

@@Overlorddz latin you mean

[@alm3602]

Amazing interview.

[@florenciamotta5778]

Hello everyone! Has anyone got spanish subtitles?

[@yuanyi1993]

Could you provide English subtitles? Would be very kind :)

[@OnlineAnthropology]

If you read the description, you can read the Dutch introduction transcribed in English.

[@yuanyi1993]

Anthropology Online Oh sorry, I did not notice that

[@yugay000]

Как же не хватает таких людей сегодня

[@mariaaaa1128]

Who is the interviewer?

[@idoall1134]

what language are they speaking outside of english?

[@jamesbaxter5147]

Dutch, it’s in the Description.

[@superpunk]

epic ending

[@etbadaboum]

What a chair for a host!

[@sandra4701]

legenda em português, please!!!

[@SurfistaCamad]

Sandra Regina eu posso explicar umas coisas que o Anderson diz pra voce si quiser

[@samuel_vodopia1522]

13:29

[@mehmetaliozkan3429]

Turkish translate 😪😪😪

[@alisidawi4819]

wrong questions from the interviewer

[@Carloshache]

Nowadays the print is obsolete and the written word is very much internationalized. Also English is the prevalent global language which renders other languages practically obsolete. Does this means the disintegration of national cultures into international communities. I believe very much so. The identity politics based on sex and race of today is only the beginning. Subcultures are the way forward and the nation is actually dying. Funny to mention it, but the nationalism and populism of today might be actually more a reaction against the internet and smartphones than for example, immigration or terrorism.