nativism

[ney-ti-viz-uhm]

noun

1. the policy of protecting the interests of native inhabitants against those of immigrants.

2. the policy or practice of preserving or reviving an Indigenous culture.

3. Philosophy.,  the doctrine that innate ideas exist.

4. innateness hypothesis.

nativism

/ ˈneɪtɪˌvɪzəm /

noun

1. the policy of favouring the natives of a country over the immigrants

2. anthropol the policy of protecting and reaffirming native tribal cultures in reaction to acculturation

3. the doctrine that the mind and its capacities are innately structured and that much knowledge is innate

Other Word Forms

• nativist noun
• nativistic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nativism¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; native + -ism

Example Sentences

In some cases, tradwives’ advocacy extends to white nationalism and nativism.

From Salon

These dangers are particularly obvious to academics and other intellectual elites: They include fascism, nativism, anti-intellectualism, persecution of unpopular minorities, exaltation of the mediocre, and romantic exaggeration of the wisdom and virtue of the masses.

From Salon

And of course, those Trump supporters have ignored or otherwise put aside many of the most troubling dimensions of Trumpism, such as racism, nativism, sexism and wanton cruelty.

From Salon

The economic chaos Trump has unleashed, together with Trump's nativism, racism and the violence that is being visited upon Latinos as part of the mass deportations, is pushing them away from Trump.

From Salon

Another case study, reckon some who know the Prime Minister's mind, of an instinct for a sliver of economic nativism.

From BBC