Nationalism : Theory, Idealogy, History

by Anthony D. Smith (London School of Economics)

• ISBN13: 9780745626598
• ISBN10: 0745626599
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Polity Pr

Summary

For the last two centuries, nationalism has been a central feature of society and politics. Few ideologies can match its power and resonance and no other symbolic language has such worldwide appeal and resilience. However, nationalism is more than an ideological movement - it is also a form of public culture which draws on much older cultural and symbolic forms. This book provides a concise, accessible introduction to the concept of nationalism. It focuses on competing paradigms and theories of nations and nationalism, and analyses the subject in terms of ideology, theory and history. The approach is broadly comparative and interdisciplinary, with concrete examples and a time-scale stretching from the ancient world to the contemporary global age. The book concludes with an assessment of the prospects of nationalism and of the transcendence of nations and nation states. Anthony Smith's book will appeal to all those interested in this dynamic subject, including students and scholars of anthropology, sociology, history, politics and international relations.

Author Biography

Anthony Smith is Professor of Ethnicity and Nationalism at the European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction	1	(4)
Concepts	5	(16)
The Meanings of Nationalism	5	(4)
Definitions	9	(12)
Ideologies	21	(22)
Fundamental Ideals	24	(4)
Core Concepts	28	(5)
Nationalism as Culture and Religion	33	(3)
Voluntarism and Organicism	36	(3)
`Ethnic' and `Civic' Nationalisms	39	(4)
Paradigms	43	(19)
Modernism	45	(4)
Perennialism	49	(2)
Primordialism	51	(6)
Ethno-symbolism	57	(3)
Conclusion	60	(2)
Theories	62	(25)
Ideology and Industrialism	62	(6)
Reason and Emotion	68	(5)
Politics and Culture	73	(5)
Construction and Reinterpretation	78	(8)
Conclusion	86	(1)
Histories	87	(33)
`Great Nations', Small Ethnies	88	(4)
Nations Before Nationalism	92	(10)
Nations in Antiquity?	102	(5)
Nations in History: An Alternative View	107	(10)
Conclusion	117	(3)
Prospects	120	(27)
Proliferating Nationalism	120	(3)
The Demise of the Nation-state?	123	(4)
Hybrid Identities?	127	(3)
The Dissolution of Nationalism?	130	(2)
The Consumer Society	132	(2)
Global Culture?	134	(3)
Internationalizing Nationalism	137	(3)
Uneven Ethno-histories	140	(2)
Sacred Foundations	142	(4)
Conclusion	146	(1)
Notes	147	(13)
References	160	(18)
Index	178