Postnationalism

Postnationalism or non-nationalism is the process or trend by which nation states and national identities lose their importance relative to cross-national, self-organized, or supranational and global entities as well as local entities. Although postnationalism is not strictly considered the antonym of nationalism, the two terms and their associated assumptions are antithetic as postnationalism is an internationalistic process. There are several factors that contribute to aspects of postnationalism, including economic, political, and cultural elements. The increasing globalization of economic factors, such as the expansion of international trade in raw materials, manufactured goods, and services, and the growing importance of multinational corporations and internationalization of financial markets, have led to a shift in emphasis from national economies to global ones.

At the same time, socio-political power is partially transferred from national authorities to supernational entities, such as multinational corporations, the United Nations, the European Union, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and NATO. Furthermore, media and entertainment industries are becoming increasingly global, thereby facilitating the formation of trends and opinions on a supranational scale. The migration of individuals or groups between countries contributes to the formation of postnational identities and beliefs. However, attachment to citizenship and national identities often remains important.

Postnationalism and human rights

In the scholarly literature, postnationalism is linked to the expansion of international human rights law and norms. International human rights norms are reflected in a growing stress on the rights of individuals in terms of their "personhood," not just their citizenship. International human rights law does not recognize the right of entry to any state by non-citizens, but demands that individuals should be judged increasingly on universal criteria not particularistic criteria (such as blood descent in ethnicity, or favoring a particular sex).