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 political movement and symbolic language has such worldwide
appeal and resilience. But nationalism is also a form of public culture
and political religion, which draws on much older cultural and symbolic
forms.
Seeking to do justice to these different facets of nationalism, the
second edition of this popular and respected overview has been revised
and updated with contemporary developments and the latest scholarly
work. It aims to provide a concise and accessible introduction to the
core concepts and varieties of nationalist ideology; a clear analysis of
the major competing paradigms and theories of nations and nationalism; a
critical account of the often opposed histories and periodization of the
nation and nationalism; and an assessment of the prospects of
nationalism and its continued global power and persistence.
Broad and comparative in scope, the book is strongly interdisciplinary,
drawing on ideas and insights from history, political science, sociology
and anthropology. The focus is theoretical, but it also includes a fresh
examination of some of the main historical and contemporary empirical
contributions to the literature on the subject. It will continue to be
an invaluable resource for students of nationalism across the social
sciences.