Book Description

"A new global history of nationalism. Today, almost all countries are considered nation-states, but only a handful conform to the original nationalist ideal of a unitary state which governs an ethnically homogenous nation, an ideal which has rarely been realized in the past. Given this disjunction between the ideal and reality, what explains the extraordinary success of the nation-state model - a form of statehood based on popular sovereignty - and the seductive power of the myth of national homogeneity? Most existing studies focus on the activities of nationalist movements, their views on the nation's identity and the wars and revolutions that produced nation-states. This has served to overemphasize the singularity of each case, producing a very fragmented picture overall. In this book, author Eric Storm takes a global approach by examining the structural changes that were engendered by the advance of the nation-state model and the nationalization of culture. Emphasizing how conceptions of the nation changed profoundly over time, the book details how the rise of nationalism fundamentally affected the everyday life of ordinary people across the globe. Storm explores four interrelated topics chronologically: the rise, dissemination, and evolution of the nation-state model, which was first developed during the Atlantic Revolutions; the implications of national citizenship for citizens and the attempt by nation-states to expand the ambit of citizenship, even while more strictly excluding outsiders; the allure of nationalism, as the existence of differentiated nations was increasingly taken for granted in the humanities, social sciences and high culture; and, finally, the process whereby nationalism became ingrained in daily life and the physical environment. In making use of a global comparative approach, Storm makes clear that no nation has been unique; rather, they have all conformed to the nation-state model"--