This book takes a unique approach to explore the moral foundations ofnationalism.Drawing on nationalist writings and examining almost 200 years of nationalismin... » 

This book takes a unique approach to explore the moral foundations ofnationalism.Drawing on nationalist writings and examining almost 200 years of nationalismin Ireland and Quebec the author develops a theory of nationalism based on itsrole in representation.The study of nationalism has tended towards the construction of dichotomiesarguing for example that there are political and cultural or civic andethnic versions of the phenomenon. However as an object of moral scrutinythis bifurcation makes nationalism difficult to work with.This book takes a unique approach to explore the moral foundations ofnationalism. The author draws on nationalist writings to see how nationaliststhemselves argued for their cause and examines almost two hundred years ofnationalism in two wellknown cases Ireland and Quebec. The author identifieswhich themes if any are common across the various forms that nationalism cantake and then goes on to develop a theory of nationalism based on its role inrepresentation. This representationbased approach provides both a basis forthe moral claim of nationalism while at the same time identifying grounds onwhich this claim can be evaluated and limited.It will be of strong interest to political theorists especially those workingon nationalism multiculturalism and minority rights. The special focus in thebook on the Irish and Quebec cases also makes it relevant reading forspecialists in these fields as well as for other area studies where nationalismis an issue. «