Formation and development of nationalism in Vietnam as reflected in literature during 1900-1954

Abstract

Nationalism is a controversial issue and it has been viewed from different schools of thought since the late nineteenth century. Nationalism is characterized by the feeling of a people, based on common language, and culture. This concept embraces a number of key elements, such as state, nation, nation-state, and nationalist movement. In addition, nationalism can be viewed from various perspectives. This concept began to appear in colonial countries in the early twentieth century. In many colonies in Asia and Africa, nationalism is the product of the combination between two cultures, the culture of the colonizer and the indigenous one. Although the basic features of nationalism in colonial countries are the same, the process of forming this concept is different in each country. The various versions of nationalism in colonial states are the result of political struggles for independence. Therefore, the study of nationalism in colonial countries, Vietnamincluded, is the exploration of its nature in the process of national revolution. This study argues that the formation and development of nationalism in Vietnam is the transformation value in the process of assimilation and synthesis to the western ideas. This examination will prove that Vietnamese nationalism during 1900-1945 is a revised version of traditional patriotism. Besides, this study will focus on literary works illustrating that the process of formation and development of Vietnamese nationalism are closely related to the struggles for independence whereas scholar-patriots and urban-based intellectuals played a vital role in shaping and refining the concept of nationalism