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Works on nations and nationalism often include an introductory chapter on empires before more substantive matters are examined. Conversely, books on empires typically conclude with summary reflections on the rise of nations. This reveals a particular perspective in the larger literature where the worlds of empires and nation-states have long been clearly differentiated from each other, and have at times been treated as antithetical in nature. It has also been typical that when nationalism is studied within an imperial context the examination focuses primarily on minority nationalisms. Recently more thoughtful readings of history have started to produce a rich literature that reveals the complex relationship between empires and nationalism. The present essay will seek to introduce the main contours of such rethinking.

Is nationalism morally defensible, or is it a destructive holdover from our primitive past? Are certain forms of nationalism normatively preferable to others? To what extent are liberals ethically entitled to accommodate the demands and concerns of nationalists? Do the claims of nationality entail a right to independence or autonomy? Can the 'politics of cultural survival' justify the state's protection and promotion of particular national identities? This article will provide an overview of how thinkers have dealt with such problems in the different eras of the study of nationalism.

This article argues that the current wave of nationalism has to be understood as a response to globalisation and not as evidence for the enduring nature of the national idea, as Smith suggests. It defends the modernist paradigm as a way of explaining nationalism and emphasises the role of war in the construction of nationalism. It puts forward an explanation for the current wave of nationalism in terms of changes in the division of labour, in communications and in war and it describes the key characteristics of what the author calls the "new nationalism". The final section defends the idea of a cosmopolitan or European identity. (Original abstract)

"For many years nationalism has been associated with political demands by minority nations that challenge the rights of the central state. However, over the last two decades many works have challenged this perspective, arguing that nationalism - as a political phenomenon - is likely to emerge among both majority and minority nations. In light of a renewed interest in the study of nationalism, Contemporary Majority Nationalism brings together a group of major scholars committed to making sense of this widespread phenomenon. To better illustrate the reality of majority nationalism and the way it has been expressed, authors combine analytical and comparative perspectives. In the first section, contributors highlight the paradox of majority nationalism and the ways in which collective identities become national identities. The second section offers in-depth case study analyses of France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, and the United States. This book is an international project led by three members of the Research Group on Plurinational Societies based at Universiteþ du Queþbec a` Montreþal."--Publisher's website.

AbstractThe central distinguishing feature ofErnestGellner's most important treatment of nationalism is the proposition that nationalism is necessary for industrial society. Relatively little attention has been paid to the philosophical dimension of this proposition. The question of necessity in social explanation, however, is a complicated philosophical problem and must be dealt with directly if this proposition is to be endorsed. I argue thatGellner's argument is philosophically flawed. The 'ordinary prose' ofNations andNationalismfails to deliver whatGellner claims to have delivered: the demonstration of a necessary connection between nationalism and industrial society. This result is of particular relevance givenGellner's philosophical interests.

"Often thought of as a thing of the past, nationalism remains surprisingly resilient in the postcolonial era, especially since the concepts of multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism have lost authority in recent years. The contributions assembled in Nationalism and the Postcolonial examine various forms, representations, and consequences of past and present nationalisms in languages, popular culture, and literature in or associated with Australia, Canada, England, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago Bringing together perspectives from linguistics, political science, cultural studies, and literary studies, the collection illustrates how postcolonial nationalism functions as a unifying mechanism of anti-colonial nation-building as well as a divisive force that can encourage discrimination and violence. Contributors: Natascha Bing, Prachi Gupta, Ralf Haekel, Kathrin Härtl, Idreas Khandy, Theresa Krampe, Lukas Lammers, Arhea Marshall, Hannah Pardey, Sina Schuhmaier, Hanna Teichler, Michael Westphal"--

Instead of thinking about "national identity," scholars of nationalism would do well to study nationalism as a process of classification, treating national conflict as disputes over nationalized categories. Disputes over national classification take various forms: patriots argue over which category applies, which categories exist, and which categories have which status. Techniques for imposing classificatory categories also deserve attention. The contributors to this themed issue ofNationalities Papersillustrate the power of analysis based on classification.