2016 Graduate Student Publications

Colin Kaepernick, Ethnocentrism, and Multiculturalism: Redefining Nationalism in the United States

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:44:29 +0000

Colin Kaepernick, Ethnocentrism, and Multiculturalism: Redefining Nationalism in the United States Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 11:44

Colin Kaepernick, Ethnocentrism, and Multiculturalism: Redefining Nationalism in the United States

By: Owen Fite

Abstract:

This paper explores whether American football player Colin Kaepernick and other athletes’ refusal in 2016 to acknowledge the national anthem symbolizes a form of nationalism in the United States. At first glance, the rising support of “un-American” acts that reject traditional patriotism would imply that American nationalism is faltering. If one observes the colloquial understanding of nationalism as extreme commitment to a country, this may be true. But after closer examination, the pattern instead depicts a polarization of two distinct forms of nationalism — ethnocentric nationalism and what I call multicultural nationalism, both intensifying away from each other.
As opposed to colloquial understanding, there is no standard scholarly definition of nationalism, but it is widely seen as zeal over an identity that strives to manifest into an organized state. Despite this minimal consensus, nationalism is usually equated with an ethnocentric conception of the nation-state, what I recognize to be ethnocentric nationalism, the commitment to a linguistically, racially, and culturally likeminded nation. I argue that this traditional, ethnocentric understanding of nationalism is only one interpretation of nationalism. Ethnocentric nationalism has and continues to be in tension with a more recently established interpretation of the nation, which I call multicultural nationalism: the commitment to a country’s principles rather than to its racial, cultural, and religious ties.

A common acceptance of difference is growing in the United States as shown by Kaepernick’s public support in the face of patriotic conformity. This perspective draws from the United States’ ideological roots that argue for one nation made up of many, e pluribus unum, so that foreign backgrounds should not just be accepted but also embraced to form a more diverse nation. The passion for a progressive, multicultural America can be translated into its own movement of multicultural nationalism. In this context, the support for Kaepernick’s actions no longer appears to represent increased dissent from the United States, but instead seems to be an attempt to challenge ethnocentric nationalism’s claim to the nation.

This paper will begin by contrasting the reactions to Kaepernick’s protest and to protests before him in order to contend that nationalism is no longer characterized by only ethnocentric tradition. I will analyze theoretical studies on nationalism to dispute this common understanding that nationalism is solely ethnocentric. I will argue that nationalism, rather, is the intense manifestation of a community’s identity within a political state; the identity of which can be either ethnocentric or multicultural. The Kaepernick ordeal will be used to signify the greater division in the American public over whether a multicultural or ethnocentric conception of the nation should be supported in the United States. Lastly, this paper will observe how the Kaepernick protest suggests multicultural nationalism’s viability in today’s politically progressive environment, and how multiculturalism should embrace nationalism to advance its platform.

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Why Legislative Networks? Analyzing Legislative Network Formation

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:06:24 +0000

Why Legislative Networks? Analyzing Legislative Network Formation Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:06

*Wojcik, Stefan. 2016 “Why Legislative Networks? Analyzing Legislative Network Formation“. Conditionally accepted at Political Science 91��Ҹ� and Methods.

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Political Networks and Computational Social Science

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:05:20 +0000

Political Networks and Computational Social Science Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:05

*Wojcik, Stefan. 2016 “Political Networks and Computational Social Science“ (with David Lazer). Forthcoming in the Oxford Handbook of Political Networks.

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Decentralization May Reduce Deforestation when User Groups Engage with Local Government.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:04:01 +0000

Decentralization May Reduce Deforestation when User Groups Engage with Local Government. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:04

*Wright, G.D., Andersson, K.P., Gibson, C.C., Evans, T. 2016. Decentralization May Reduce Deforestation when User Groups Engage with Local Government. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113(52): 14958–14963.

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NYC 311 A Tract-Level Analysis of Citizen–Government Contacting in New York City.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:02:49 +0000

NYC 311 A Tract-Level Analysis of Citizen–Government Contacting in New York City. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:02

Minkoff, Scott L. 2016. “NYC 311 A Tract-Level Analysis of Citizen–Government Contacting in New York City.” Urban Affairs Review 52.2: 211-246.

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Trade and the Recognition of Commercial Lingua Francas: Russian Language Laws in Post-Soviet Countries.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:01:44 +0000

Trade and the Recognition of Commercial Lingua Francas: Russian Language Laws in Post-Soviet Countries. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:01

Liu AH, *Roosevelt M, Wilson Sokhey S. "Trade and the Recognition of Commercial Lingua Francas: Russian Language Laws in Post-Soviet Countries." Economics & Politics (October 2016).

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The Language of Economic Growth: A New Measure of Linguistic Heterogeneity.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:00:27 +0000

The Language of Economic Growth: A New Measure of Linguistic Heterogeneity. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:00

Liu, Amy and *Elise Pizzi. 2016. “The Language of Economic Growth: A New Measure of Linguistic Heterogeneity.” British Journal of Political Science.

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Struggle for Democracy, 2016 Presidential Election Edition

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:58:31 +0000

Struggle for Democracy, 2016 Presidential Election Edition Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 09:58

Greenberg, Edward and Benjamin Page. 2017. Struggle for Democracy, 2016 Presidential Election Edition. Pearson: Hoboken, NJ. [Contributing Authors: *David Doherty, *Scott L. Minkoff, *Joshua Ryan] (Non-Peer-Reviewed Publication)

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Why Are Some Institutions Replaced while Others Persist? Evidence from State Constitutions.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:56:44 +0000

Why Are Some Institutions Replaced while Others Persist? Evidence from State Constitutions. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 09:56

*Cayton, Adam. 2016. “Why Are Some Institutions Replaced while Others Persist? Evidence from State Constitutions.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly, 16(3): 267-289.

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Consistency vs. Responsiveness: Do Members of Congress Change Positions on Specific Issues in Response to Their Constituencies?

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:55:03 +0000

Consistency vs. Responsiveness: Do Members of Congress Change Positions on Specific Issues in Response to Their Constituencies? Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/16/2018 - 09:55

*Cayton, Adam. 2016. “Consistency vs. Responsiveness: Do Members of Congress Change Positions on Specific Issues in Response to Their Constituencies?” Political 91��Ҹ� Quarterly70(1): 3-18.

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