La construction de l’idée de patrie et l’apparition des stéréotypes nationaux chez l’enfant

Abstract

Adopting a different position to those theories accounting for xenophobia and nationalism in terms of deviation from the norm, Piaget remains true to the methodology which has made his reputation by looking at the question from the standpoint of normality. He asks himself what constitutes a normal development both of the idea of patriotism and of patriotic feeling. He finds with some surprise that it is made up of three stages, the second of which is precisely that of patriotism and xenophobia. This means it is a quite normal stage of development for the child and that education may in different cases either help in getting over it or on the contrary establish it for good. This study recalls the famous concept of "the banality of evil" introduced by Hannah Arendt.