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Anti-colonial imagination and internationalism in Basque radical nationalism (1892-1939)

In this blog post Maria Reyez Baztán presents the findings of her PhD research, provisionally titled 'anti-colonial imagination and internationalism in Basque radical nationalism (1892-1939)'. Exploring the appropriation, adaptation and uses of anti-colonial ideas in early Basque radical nationalism through the analysis of Basque newsletters and newspapers, she shows how Basque radicals’ changing conceptions of colonialism correlate to global shifts occurring during this period. Her case study illuminates how ethnonationalist movements drew inspiration from ideas and events unfolding in different parts of the world, with anti-colonial movements providing a particularly constructive model for Western nationalists, who saw in these struggles a resemblance to their own history of oppression. These shared feelings acted as a source of connection which transcended national boundaries, embedding Basque nationalism within global intellectual history.