tribalism

American  

[trahy-buh-liz-uhm] / ˈtraɪ bəˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. the customs and beliefs of tribal life and society.

2. strong loyalty to one's own tribe, party, or group.

   the tribalism of New Yorkers.

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tribalism British  

/ ˈtraɪbəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the state of existing as a separate tribe or tribes

2. the customs and beliefs of a tribal society

3. loyalty to a tribe or tribal values

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Other Word Forms

• tribalist noun
• tribalistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of tribalism

First recorded in 1885–90; tribal + -ism

Example Sentences

And he makes a claim for the relevance of his project: “These poems rebut the parochialism and tribalism that dog our present, even as they appeal to universal experiences and values.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Even amid Welsh rugby's renown tribalism, this news will not have been celebrated by regional rivals.

From BBC

The study's authors emphasize that soccer fandom offers an ethical, controlled way to study these neural processes and test strategies that could apply to broader social issues -- including political division, sectarian conflict, and online tribalism.

From Science Daily

“And, unfortunately, our tribalism is now breaking out, not only between each other, but it’s breaking out between states.”

From Los Angeles Times

Speaking from Canterbury Cathedral, she said that "in an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger".

From BBC