Irredentist Ideology

A Irredentist Ideology is a identity-based ideology that seeks to occupy territory which the social group considers "lost" (or "unredeemed").

• Context:
  • It can (typically) claim Territory based on historical or cultural reasons.
  • It can (often) seek to reunite Ethnic Populations or Nationally Similar Populations under one state.
  • It can be believed by a Irredentist Movement.
  • It can be driven by Nationalism.
  • It can be driven by a desire to restore perceived Historical Boundaries.
  • It can involve conflict or tensions with neighboring states over disputed areas.
  • It can range from Peaceful Irredentism to being Armed Irredentism.
  • It can use Historical Narratives, Religious Texts, and symbols to justify Territorial Claims.
  • It can gain popular support by appealing to religious beliefs and national pride.
  • It can be a factor in Regional Conflicts.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Chinese Irredentism to the island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province that should be reunited with mainland China (ongoing).
  • Palestinian Irredentism to establish an independent state encompassing the territories of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, currently under Israeli control (20th century-present).
  • Irish Irredentism's claim to Northern Ireland, which remains part of the United Kingdom, based on the belief that the entire island of Ireland should be a single, independent state (20th century-present).
  • Kurdish Irredentism to create an independent Kurdish state, Kurdistan, comprising areas with Kurdish populations in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria (20th century-present).
  • Greater Syria Irredentism advocated by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, aiming to establish a "Greater Syria" incorporating present-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, Jordan, and parts of Turkey (early 20th century-present).
  • Moroccan Irredentism to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, located on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco but under Spanish control (ongoing).
  • Pan-Arab Irredentism promoted by some Arab nationalist ideologies, such as Ba'athism, seeking the unification of Arab nations and peoples into a single Arab state or federation (20th century).
  • Zionist Irredentism seeking to establish a Jewish homeland in the biblical lands of Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip, currently under Palestinian control (20th century-present).
  • Somali Irredentism known as the Greater Somalia concept, aiming to unite all Somali-inhabited territories in the Horn of Africa under a single Somali state (1960s-1980s).
  • Hungarian Irredentism after World War I, aiming to reclaim territories lost to neighboring countries under the Treaty of Trianon (post-1918).
  • South African Irredentism during the apartheid era, which included ambitions to incorporate neighboring territories with significant white populations (20th century).
  • Tamil Irredentism in Sri Lanka, advocating for the creation of an independent Tamil state, Tamil Eelam, in the northern and eastern parts of the island, driven by ethnic and linguistic ties (20th century-present).
  • Quebecois Irredentism seeking greater autonomy or independence for the French-speaking province of Quebec, with aspirations to reclaim territory perceived as part of the cultural and historical heritage of the French-speaking population (20th century-present).
  • First Nations Irredentism involving claims by Indigenous groups in Canada to reclaim traditional territories and establish self-governing nations within these lands, driven by historical and cultural ties (20th century-present).
  • Bolivian Irredentism regarding the Atacama region, which Bolivia lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1884), with ongoing aspirations to regain access to the Pacific Ocean (19th century-present).
  • Argentinian Irredentism related to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), which Argentina claims as its own territory despite British control, leading to the Falklands War in 1982 and continuing diplomatic disputes (20th century-present).
  • ...
  • Armed Irredentism, such as:
    • Turkish Irredentism under President Erdogan, pursuing a neo-Ottoman foreign policy, including military interventions in Syria and Iraq, and claims over Greek islands near Turkey's coast (21st century).
    • Armenian Irredentism to the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, which led to a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.
    • Serbian Irredentism of Greater Serbia, seeking to unite all Serbs in the Balkans under a single state, contributing to the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
    • Serbian Irredentism in Kosovo, claiming it as the birthplace of the Serbian Orthodox Church and containing many important Serbian Orthodox religious sites and monasteries (20th century-present).
    • Islamic State (ISIS) Irredentism aiming to establish a caliphate across territories in Iraq, Syria, and beyond, historically under Islamic rule during various caliphates of the past (2010s).
    • Pakistani Irredentism to the Indian-administered territory of Kashmir, a source of conflict between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947.
    • ...
  • Revanchist Idedologies, such as:
    • Nazi Germany Irredentism of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, Austrian regions, and parts of Poland, leading to World War II (1930s-1940s).
    • Armenian Irredentism to Nagorno-Karabakh, based on the presence of ancient Armenian churches and monasteries there, reflecting the historical Armenian Christian presence (20th century-present).
    • Greek Irredentism in Anatolia, aiming to unite territories of the former Byzantine Empire, including parts of modern-day Turkey, based on the legacy of Greek Orthodox Christianity (19th-20th centuries).
    • Greek Irredentism known as the Megali Idea (Great Idea), aiming to unite all territories with Greek populations under a single Greek state in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
    • French Irredentism against former colonial powers, seeking to reclaim territories lost during the decolonization period (mid-20th century).
    • English Irredentism related to former colonies, reflecting desires to reintegrate regions with historical ties to the British Empire (20th century).
    • American Irredentism involving desires to reclaim territories lost during the Mexican-American War, such as parts of Texas and California (19th century-present).
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Separatism, which seeks to create a new independent state rather than reunite with an existing one.
  • Secessionism, focused on breaking away from a state to form a new sovereign entity.
• See: Revanchism, Nation, Expansionism, Ethnic Nationalism.

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References

2024

• LLM
  • Some of the core emotions associated with Irredentism include:
    1. Pride Emotion, "lost" territories are a matter of restoring group honor and group glory.
    2. Anger Emotion and Resentment Emotion, historical grievances are emphasized to provoke outrage against current "occupiers" of claimed territories.
    3. Fear Emotion and Insecurity Emotion, irredentism plays on fears of oppression and discrimination, presenting unification with kin as the path to safety and security.
    4. Belonging Emotion and Attachment Emotion, evoking shared ethnicity, culture, language, or religion heightens people's emotional attachment and sense of belonging to the territories in question, even if they have never lived there.
    5. Humiliation Emotion, defeats, losses of territory, and subjugation to foreign rule are portrayed as humiliations to be rectified through irredentism to restore group dignity.
    6. Hope Emotion and Nostalgia Emotion, irredentism provides a hopeful vision of unity and a return to an often mythologized golden age or historical homeland. Nostalgia for a glorious, sometimes imagined past is a powerful draw.
    7. Love Emotion and Loyalty Emotion, irredentists appeal to people's love for and loyalty to their ethnic or national community, presenting union with kin as an almost familial imperative.

2024

• Perplexity
  • NOTE: It discusses the characteristics of irredentism, including its basis in nationalism and the pursuit of territory linked to historical or cultural claims. It highlights various examples of irredentist movements, their origins, and their impacts on international relations.
  • An Irredentist Ideology is a political ideology that seeks to occupy territory which they consider "lost" or "unredeemed" from their nation's past. It often involves advocating for the annexation of territories based on claims of prior historical possession, ethnic ties, or cultural similarities.
  • Key Points on Irredentism:
    • Irredentism is driven by nationalism, usually ethnicity-based but also connected to religion and other cultural/historical factors. It arises from the belief that territories inhabited by an ethnic group should belong to their nation-state.
    • Irredentist movements seek to reclaim and reoccupy lands they consider to be historically or ethnically tied to their nation but currently under foreign rule or domination. This could be based on recent losses, like after a war, or claims going back centuries.
    • Revanchism refers specifically to irredentism aimed at restoring territory recently lost, such as in a war. It is a narrower term than the broader concept of irredentism.
    • Irredentist ideologies can lead to conflicts, invasions, ethnic cleansing, and even wars as states seek to forcibly reclaim claimed territories. However, most irredentist claims remain theoretical and are not violently pursued.
  • Examples of irredentist (including: region, claims, actions and timeframe).
    • Nazi Germany's pursuit of territories with ethnic German populations, such as the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and parts of Poland, leading to World War II (1930s-1940s).
    • The Armenian Irredentism to the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, which led to a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.
    • The Greek Irredentism known as the Megali Idea (Great Idea), which aimed to unite all territories with Greek populations under a single Greek state in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
    • The Moroccan Irredentism to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which are located on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco but remain under Spanish control (ongoing).
    • The Serbian Irredentism of Greater Serbia, which sought to unite all Serbs in the Balkans under a single state, contributing to the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
    • The Pakistani Irredentism to the Indian-administered territory of Kashmir, which has been a source of conflict between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947.
    • The Hungarian Irredentism after World War I, which sought to reclaim territories lost to neighboring countries under the Treaty of Trianon (post-1918).
    • The Somali Irredentism known as the Greater Somalia concept, which aimed to unite all Somali-inhabited territories in the Horn of Africa under a single Somali state (1960s-1980s).
    • The Chinese Irredentism to the island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province that should be reunited with mainland China (ongoing).
    • The Irish Irredentism's claim to Northern Ireland, which remains part of the United Kingdom, based on the belief that the entire island of Ireland should be a single, independent state (20th century-present).
    • Palestinian Irredentism: Palestinian nationalists seek to establish an independent state encompassing the territories of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, which are currently under Israeli control. This is based on the belief that these areas constitute the historical homeland of the Palestinian people (20th century-present).
    • Kurdish Irredentism: Kurdish nationalist movements advocate for the creation of an independent Kurdish state, known as Kurdistan, comprising areas with Kurdish populations in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. This is driven by the desire to unite the Kurdish ethnic group across existing national borders (20th century-present).
    • Pan-Arab Irredentism: Some Arab nationalist ideologies, such as Ba'athism, have promoted the unification of Arab nations and peoples into a single Arab state or federation. This irredentist vision seeks to transcend current borders and unite territories with significant Arab populations (20th century).
    • Greater Syria: The Syrian Social Nationalist Party advocates for the establishment of a "Greater Syria" that would incorporate present-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, Jordan, and parts of Turkey. This is based on the notion of a shared Levantine identity and history (early 20th century-present).
    • Turkish Irredentism: Under President Erdogan, Turkey has pursued a neo-Ottoman foreign policy that some analysts view as irredentist. This includes military interventions in Syria and Iraq, as well as claims over Greek islands near Turkey's coast, reflecting a desire to reclaim territories once part of the Ottoman Empire (21st century).
  • Zionist Irredentism seeks to establish a Jewish homeland in the biblical lands of Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which are currently under Palestinian control. This is based on the Jewish historical and religious connection to the region (20th century-present).
    • The Islamic State (ISIS) Caliphate: The Islamic State terrorist group aimed to establish a caliphate, an Islamic state, across territories in Iraq, Syria, and beyond that were historically under Islamic rule during various caliphates of the past (2010s).
    • Armenian Irredentism to Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia's claim over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan is partly based on the presence of ancient Armenian churches and monasteries there, reflecting the historical Armenian Christian presence (20th century-present).
    • Greek Irredentism in Anatolia: The Greek Megali Idea (Great Idea) in the 19th-20th centuries sought to unite territories of the former Byzantine Empire, including parts of modern-day Turkey, based on the legacy of Greek Orthodox Christianity (19th-20th centuries).
    • Serbian Irredentism and Kosovo: Serb nationalists lay claim to Kosovo based on it being the birthplace of the Serbian Orthodox Church and containing many important Serbian Orthodox religious sites and monasteries (20th century-present).

2022

• (Wikipedia, 2022) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irredentism Retrieved:2022-3-1.
  • Irredentism is a political and popular movement whose members claim (usually on behalf of their nation), and seek to occupy, territory which they consider "lost" (or "unredeemed"), based on history or legend. The scope of this definition is occasionally subject to terminological disputes about underlying claims of expansionism, owing to lack of clarity on the historical bounds of putative nations or peoples.

    This term also often refers to revanchism but the difference between these two terms is, according to Merriam-Webster, that the word "irredentism" means the reunion of politically or ethnically displaced territory, along with a population having the same national identity. On the other hand, "revanchism" evolved from the French word "revanche" which means revenge. In the political realm, "revanchism" refers to such a theory that intends to seek revenge for a lost territory.

2000

• (Saideman & Ayres, 2000) ⇒ Stephen M. Saideman, and R. William Ayres. (2000). “Determining the Causes of Irredentism: Logit Analyses of Minorities at Risk Data from the 1980s and 1990s.” The Journal of Politics 62, no. 4
  • ABSTRACT: Irredentism and secessionism have been important causes of international conflict in the 1990s, yet few have considered why ethnic groups desire union with kin elsewhere or want to become independent. Why do groups desire independence rather than union with kin, or vice versa? We consider five distinct explanations: the nature of the group itself; characteristics of the group's kin; contagion processes; ethnic security dilemmas; and the end of the cold war. Using logit, we analyze data from the Minorities at Risk data set. Our findings support elements of the conventional wisdom: Ethnic kin influence irredentism, and violence between a group and its host state increases secessionism. Contrary to current debates, groups that are more concentrated are more likely to be secessionist. Further, some factors are less important than usually argued: relative size, a group's ethnic distinctiveness, economic and political differences, regime type, and economic growth.

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