Book Description

'Nimni has written an innovative and rigorous book, important for his critique and his detailed exposition...rich and perceptive' Dr Fred Halliday, Fortnight'A fascinating discussion of nation, state and language...Nimni's (book) is, as (Ernesto) Laclau says, an excellent book which will become a necessary reference point for all those interested in the field' Peter Beilharz in Thesis Eleven'A necessary reference point for all those interested in its field' Ernesto LaclauNimni presents the reader with a lucidly argued and arranged histoy of the unhappy marriage between Western Marxists and the Nationalities question. He effectively places these social and political theories in their historical context in the attempt to understand them on their own terms. Perhaps more importantly, Nimni points out the usefulness of Marxist theory (or perhaps the fallibility of "liberal" theory) for an understanding of the contemporary disintegration of "nationalities" in Eastern Europe. He therefore poses an intelligent implicit criticism of Fukuyama's smug assertion of the triumph of liberalism in the last twentieth century. Finally, Nimni crucially addresses the epistemological and logical framework of Marxism and to his credit, discusses the little-explored area of the relationship between Marxist and liberal thought. Australian journal of Politics & History, Vol.41, No.3 (1995)This is a book that will be particularly useful to those interested in the contribution to the study of nationalism by the Australian socialist, Otto Bauer. ...this book is a welcome addition to the literature on socialism and nationalism and particularly for the chapters of Bauer. Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism XXII, No 1-2