In this chapter, I argue that the policy to promote FBV is framed within a liberal version of nationalism, and consider some issues arising from this philosophy. The research data illustrate the affective aspects of citizenship, that is, in brief, the emotions that revolve around citizenship at two levels: the nation (what it is to be an adult citizen of the nation) and the school (what it is for pupils to be a current ‘citizen’ of a particular school). Later chapters, therefore, consider, first, whether and how the nationalist emphasis of the policy plays out in schools; second, the extent to which my research suggests that students are able to debate and discuss issues connected to national values and identity (Chapter Four); and, third, whether the mandatory promotion of FBV is a viable route for the generation of a shared national identity as seems to be the aim (Chapters Four and Six). In this chapter, I review literature on nationalism that addresses whether and how a sense of solidarity with co-nationals and commitment to a nation can be encouraged without that solidarity and commitment drawing on exclusionary understandings of who belongs.

The FBV policy is presented as an example of liberal nationalism, as it offers liberal democratic principles as the focus for citizen loyalty, as constituting what it means to be ‘British’. However, I question whether commitment to this set of large-scale, abstract principles can completely erase ethnic aspects of nationalism, that is, a more tribal ‘us’ and ‘them’ identity. I continue by suggesting that the power of nationalism can be understood as emanating not simply from overt displays of national pride and identity, but also (following Billig, 1995) from its embeddedness in our everyday lives to the extent that it passes as unremarkable and taken for granted. Educating children and young people in the principles, knowledge and behaviours deemed necessary for ‘good’ citizenship is a commonly understood function of national education systems, and in the second half of the chapter I consider briefly some contemporary influences on citizenship education in different countries, including recent counter-extremism policies.