Moral Maze

Nationalism


Listen Later

This week the Prime Minister is touring the devolved nations of the UK as she prepares to trigger the Brexit process. Her message to the people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is clear: we are better as one nation - the United Kingdom. Brexit has whipped up a complex and (some would say) toxic mixture of politics and patriotism. While Theresa May and others champion the national credentials of the UK, she's having to shout down the voices in the devolved nations that say their economic, cultural and democratic interests would be best served by independence. At the same time, nationalist political parties across Europe are growing in strength, with electoral challenges in France and Germany on the horizon. Is nationalism a moral force for good, because there's no better vehicle for the exercise of freedom and self-determination? Does it encourage a sense of belonging, community and culture? Or is it the worst kind of identity politics - exclusionary, divisive and populist, with sinister currents of "us" and "them"? Are we entering an age when trans-national ideas of the "Brotherhood of Man" are being replaced by loyalties closer to home? At the heart of the debate on nationalism there is an acute moral tension - between solidarity with oppressed national groups on the one hand and revulsion from the crimes perpetrated in the name of nationalism on the other. How and where should we draw the line? The morality of nationalism. Witnesses are Sophie Gaston, Simon Winder, Prof David Conway and Hardeep Singh Kohli.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Moral MazeBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

51 ratings


More shows like Moral Maze

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,713 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

892 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,066 Listeners

The Reith Lectures by BBC Radio 4

The Reith Lectures

213 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,474 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,806 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,776 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,050 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,113 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,076 Listeners

The Week in Westminster by BBC Radio 4

The Week in Westminster

29 Listeners

The Bottom Line by BBC Radio 4

The Bottom Line

35 Listeners

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

346 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

161 Listeners

Any Questions? and Any Answers? by BBC Radio 4

Any Questions? and Any Answers?

39 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

75 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

99 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

628 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,219 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

735 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,040 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,029 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

992 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

756 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

51 Listeners