Nationalism is the idea that when an ethno-national group lives in a certain area, it could form a government in its name. It does NOT necessarily mean that other people living there should be kicked out or disfranchised. In fact, the actually-existing forms of liberal and civic nationalisms made sure to be attentive to this 'problem of minorities' and afford them equal citizenship rights. 

For better or worse, our world today has been based on this idea and we all live in nation-states. To wish this wasn't the case, it's just like wishing we lived in a world without states, borders, money, jealousy, etc -- a utopian wish, not a political program.

Author WHAT IRANIANS WANT http://bit.ly/3YVabaw | History PhD | Fellow @BUPardeeCenter | Writer @theatlantic | Flaneur | Film writer

It’s like imagining a world without gravity, cool to ponder, but we’re still stuck to the ground!