Introduction - Anderson

Anderson suggests that nationalism is an imagined concept. This photo of enemy soldiers sharing Christmas celebrations during wartime extends this claim by suggesting that nationalism is not a valid cause for warfare, because the foes were getting along in spite of their different nationalities and the war at hand.

For the human species, the need for belonging and identification with others has always been an unquestioned method of survival. A sense of community and security has been desired by all mankind for as long as they have existed on the earth. However, as of late (the 20th century to be exact), concepts such as nationalism and patriotism have stirred people to commit some of the most passionate acts in history. In the essay, Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson argues that communities are imagined and questions the intelligence behind giving your life for a made-up perception. In a depiction of the Christmas Truce of 1914 between England and Germany, one can see the folly inherent in believing too fiercely in the borders dividing nations.