‘Nationalism’ redefines the American right

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The American right wing, long identified with the conservative movement, is increasingly latching onto something very different – nationalism – which frightens some students of history but is inspiring to a new breed of Republicans.

Some recent examples:

These moments, which seem unremarkable to a regular consumer of news, remind us that the Republican Party has been struggling for decades to reconcile its internal partnership of nationalists and conservatives. If you just woke up to American politics in the past 30 years, the two terms seem synonymous, but they haven’t always been.

So what is a nationalist and what is a conservative? And does it matter if we use these terms interchangeably?

First, a quick definition: When academics use “nationalism” by itself, it’s the concept that some kind of identity matters more than philosophy. That can be a place, an ethnicity or a religion. In current US politics, we typically see that identity with Christian nationalism or White nationalism.

Whether you throw all the way back to the philosopher Edmund Burke or start with former President Ronald Reagan, conservatism has typically meant a resistance to radical change and a faith in caution, especially when it comes to government’s role in a citizen’s life.

Many conservatives bristle at being lumped in with the very idea of nationalism, even without add-ons like “Christian” or “White.” Their version of conservatism is irrespective…