Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfgh
jklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvb
nmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwer
tyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopas
dfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzx
Role of State, Elite and Media in National
Integration
cvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmq
wertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuio
pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghj
klzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbn
mqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwerty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf
ghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxc
vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf
ghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxc
Course Name: Ethnicity, Religion and Politics. Course no:601
11/9/2014
Submitted by :
Baha Uddin
Roll:156, Section:B
Email: emondu156@gmail.com
Session:2011-2012
Department of Political Science,
Dhaka University.
Submitted to:
Dr.Dil Rowshan Zinnat Ara Nazneen,
Professor, Department of Political Science,
Dhaka University .
Abstract
In human societies, there are multiple diverse of identities and interest, including class, race,
gender, caste, religion, and ethnicity. Above all these varieties, we have witnessed the growth of
nation states and different countries through the world. Whenever the issue of establishing a
nation state or a county come up then the national integration becomes a burning question. In
most multiethnic developing countries, the state, media, and civil society attempt to play crucial
role in managing ethnic tensions and integrating diverged ethnicities. In this study I will focus on
the role of state, media and civil society in national integration.
Contents
Introduction
Definition of national integration
National integrations principles
Process of national integration
Role of state in National Integration
Role of elite in national integration
Role of media in national integration
Evaluation
3
3
5
5
6
8
9
10
11
Introduction:
The term national integration is often used simultaneously with nation building, democratization,
modernization, political development, post conflict reconstruction and peace building. The
concept of national integration came to be used mainly among American political scientists after
Second World War1, to describe the greater integration of state and society, as citizenship
brought loyalties to the modern nation state with it. National integration argues that the state has
to manage centrifugal tendencies derived from the forces of ethnicity and nationalism, and
moves towards constructing the framework of national identity. National integration stands for
mutual tolerance in politics, social, cultural aspects that can be brought by strategic role of state,
media and civil societys contribution.
According to Stephen
The notion of national integration is a nation which had become consolidated among various
ethnic groups and come up into one belongingness3
According to Mah H L,
National Integration is a socio-physiological and educational process through which a feeling
of unity, solidarity and cohesion develops in the hearts of the people and a sense of common
citizenship or feeling of loyalty to the nation is fostered5
(1) A process of bringing together culturally and socially discreet groups into a single
territorial unit and the establishment of a national identity.
(2) The process of establishing a national, central authority over subordinate political
units and regions which may or may not coincide with distinct cultural or social groups.
(4) The problem of evolving the minimum value consensus necessary to maintain a
social order, referring either to the norms and processes to be accepted or to the goals to be
achieved.
Own View:
National integration is a process by which divisive people and culture are synthesized into a
unified whole. It is a process of harmony, common identity and above all national consciousness.
It consolidates all the diverse loyalties into one national unity. Nation and national consideration
overpower all other sectarian, regional and communal considerations involving the development
of common feeling of unity, solidarity and cohesion in the hearts of people, a sense of common
citizenship and a feeling of loyalty to the nation. In a word it means unity in diversity.
Mah Hui Lim, Affirmative action, ethnicity and integration: Case Malaysia journal of ethnic and racial
studies.vol-8,Philadelphia-1985,page-250
For example:
The effort to be united among Sabah, Sarawak and peninsular of Malaysia into a federation, is an
attempt of achieving national integration.6
In our country, the attempt of uniting between Bangles and indigenous ethnic groups in
Chittagong Hill Tracts is consider as an effort for national integration.
National integration involves following principles:
Nation and national loyalty supersedes all other types of loyalties such as caste,
religion, region etc.
National integration is to be viewed as a sea into which the diverse rivers of culture
flow.
National integration is a comprehensive process which includes cultural as well as
political integration. Political integration is maintained by safeguarding administrative unity,
universal legal system, protection of states territory etc. Cultural integration is achieved through
reconciliation and mutual consensus of diverse groupings, religions, values etc.
It does away with divisive forces and disintegrating tendencies.
In a plural society, it requires ideological goals such as secularism and democracy.
National integration includes nation-building and State-building which means doing away with
the boundaries which divide the society on tribal communal, racial, castes, linguistic or regional
lines on the one hand and territorial integrity which implies the absence of secessionist and
separatist forces on the other.
Process of national integration:
There are five ways for national integration and this are(1) Segregation
(2)
Accommodation
(3)
Acculturation
(4)
Assimilation
(5)
Amalgamation.
Brayan k Ritche Politics and Economic Reform in Malaysia The William Davidson institute working paper,no655,2014,p-3.
Segregation: separation of populations those who are not homogenous throughout a defined
space. It is generally outlawed, but may exist through social norms; it is suggested by Thomas
Schelling's models of segregation and subsequent work.7
Accommodation: It seeks to ensure each ethnic group has the public space necessary to express
its identity, make its own decisions in areas of critical importance, and to protect itself against
the majority.8
Assimilation: People of different backgrounds and beliefs undergo assimilation when, through
living together, they come to see themselves as a part of a larger community, or when a small
group is absorbed into, and made part of, a bigger group.
State is the greatest political organization that plays a vital role in national integration within its
territory. Due to the composition of various identities (race, religion, language and customs) of
state is divided into major ethnic groups, each with its respective racial, religion, linguistic and
cultural identities.
These distinct ethnic divisions in the country not only affect the formation of the state and but
also its policy agenda.
In this situation, it has drawn the state into the role of integrating and managing ethnic tension
arising from contestations among major ethnic groups.
Thomas C. Schelling Models of segregation", American Economic Review, 1969, 59(2),page. 488493
McGarry, J.and B. OLeary. Federation as a Method of Ethnic Conflict Regulation. In Power Sharing: New
Challenges for Divided Societies. London: Pluto Press, 2005,page-42
M Shamsul Haque, The role of the state in managing ethnic tension in Malaysia American Behavioral Scientist,
Vol-44, No-3; Singapore, 2003, page-248
The media which enjoys utmost freedom of expression, has a great and vital role to play
in moulding public opinion on correct lines in regard to the need of friendly and relations
between various communities and religious groups and thus promote national solidarity.
The role of media in communally tense situations is to be peacemakers and not abettors,
to be trouble-shooters and not troublemakers
Moulding feelings and sentiments:
Journalists and columnists owe a very special responsibility to their country in promoting
communal peace and amity. Their writings are not a mere reflection of their own feelings
but help to large extent in moulding the feelings and sentiments of the society at large. It
is, therefore, of utmost importance that they use their pen with circumspection and
restrain. By the way national integration is quite possible.10
Broadcasting the impact of disintegration:
Giving community-wise figures of the victims of communal riot, or writing about the
incident in a style which is likely to inflame passions, aggravate the tension, or accentuate
the strained relations between the communities/religious groups concerned, or which has
a potential to exacerbate the trouble, shall be avoided.
Influencing the government regarding the rights of indigenous:
Media is the only means through which the government of country will be influenced. Whenever
the government bypass the rights of ethnic groups only that time the disintegration come up. On
this situation media has to focus the rights of ethnic groups and has to influence government
regarding this.
10
Role of media in Communal Harmony National Foundation for Communal Harmony, New Delhi2012,p-54.
10
Evaluation:
Above the national integration is an integral as well as part and parcel in nation and state
building. That is why in a multiethnic diverged country, the state itself, media and elite
contribute a crucial role in national integration. Here I discussed the role of them and they are
playing role in national integration. All of these actors work as torch bearer of national
integration. If we see from the perspective of our country, these three forces are try at their level
best to moves towards national integration although it had some lacking with the beginning. But
in other countries the cumulative efforts of these actors led to the peak of national integration.
11
12