The Metaphor of ‘Home’ in Czech Nationalist Discourse

Although all nationalisms share common features, each of them has also its own particular characteristics, determined by the historically specific context in which the nationalist ideology emerged and the specific circumstances in which it persists. Czech nationalism, like many aspects of Czech historical consciousness, crystalized during the period of conscious nation-building, referred to by the Czechs as the national revival and started at the end of the eighteenth century. For the Czechs, patriotism is a positive attitude to, or the awareness of belonging to, one's homeland. Most of them define it as a love of one's homeland that manifests itself in the willingness to do something positive for it. This can range from one's contribution to the development of national culture to a cultured lifestyle that respects national customs and traditions. Patriotism is probably a sentiment of considerable antiquity, and rooted in the Graeco-Rornan and Judaeo-Christian traditions of Western thought.