Tolerating Dissent In A Democracy: The Role Of 'Banal Nationalism'

Michael Billig developed the term "banal nationalism"to highlight the ways in which the rhetoric of a number of different players -- whether politicians, reporters or "common people" -- draws upon unquestioned assumptions about what it means to be a member of a nation. In this case, banal nationalism makes it possible to say without irony that one cannot tolerate being accused of any kind of intolerance.

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