Mythomoteur
A mythomoteur is the constitutive myth that gives an ethnic group its sense of purpose. The term was first used in this context by Ramon d’Abadal i de Vinyals, and was later taken up by John Armstrong in his book Nations before Nationalism. It has subsequently become a common theme in Anthony D. Smith’s work on ethnicity and nationalism, particularly his book The Ethnic Origins of Nations. Three types of mythomoteur have been identified, the communal-political, the communal-religious, and the dynastic.Examples
- Serbs: Kosovo Myth
- Romanians: Protochronism
- Gikûyû: Ngai
