Book Project
The central theme of my book is captured by the phrase, 'commodification of nationalism': how nationalism could be treated as if it were a material commodity rather than an intangible consciousness, making commodification the process or set of practices of consuming and reproducing the state. In its empirical form, this can range from food and drinks popularizing the name of a contentious territory, or clothing that brandishes a controversial logo depicting territorial claims. The central argument is that this variation in commodification by the domestic populace has consequences for inter-state relations in ways of sustained public resonance and hostility; in this case, directed at the specific thematic and spatial area of territoriality and Northeast Asia—herein circumscribed to Japan, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
The book seeks to go beyond mere lip service to 'multidisciplinary research,' by adopting the commodification framework from disciplines such as sociology and anthropology to the conflict literature in International Relations (IR). In doing so, the book strikes a balance between economics and politics by embedding activities with political resonance (nationalism) within the marketplace (commodification). In fact, commodification is no longer apolitical, while nationalism is richer for its ability to expose the commercial ramifications of identity.
Below is just one example of the many neat things you can do with a commodification approach to nationalism. I have plotted efforts - by location- to commodify nationalism within China surrounding Diaoyu Islands (against Japan). Contact me if you are interested in the specifics!
The central theme of my book is captured by the phrase, 'commodification of nationalism': how nationalism could be treated as if it were a material commodity rather than an intangible consciousness, making commodification the process or set of practices of consuming and reproducing the state. In its empirical form, this can range from food and drinks popularizing the name of a contentious territory, or clothing that brandishes a controversial logo depicting territorial claims. The central argument is that this variation in commodification by the domestic populace has consequences for inter-state relations in ways of sustained public resonance and hostility; in this case, directed at the specific thematic and spatial area of territoriality and Northeast Asia—herein circumscribed to Japan, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
The book seeks to go beyond mere lip service to 'multidisciplinary research,' by adopting the commodification framework from disciplines such as sociology and anthropology to the conflict literature in International Relations (IR). In doing so, the book strikes a balance between economics and politics by embedding activities with political resonance (nationalism) within the marketplace (commodification). In fact, commodification is no longer apolitical, while nationalism is richer for its ability to expose the commercial ramifications of identity.
Below is just one example of the many neat things you can do with a commodification approach to nationalism. I have plotted efforts - by location- to commodify nationalism within China surrounding Diaoyu Islands (against Japan). Contact me if you are interested in the specifics!
Figure 1. Geomapping of 'Diaoyu' Trademarks in China
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