While traditional theorizing has tended to focus on extreme expressions of nationalism, the author turns his attention to the everyday, less invisible forms that are deeply ingrained in contemporary consciousness. This form of nationalism, which is neither exotic nor remote, he describes as "banal nationalism". The author asks why people do not forget their national identity. He suggests that in daily life nationalism is constantly flagged in the media through routine symbols and habits of language. Small familiar turns of phrase, like the flag which hangs unnoticed outside a public building, are reminders that often operate mindlessly, beyond the level of conscious awareness.