The Identity of Nations

What is national identity? What are the main challenges posed to nationalidentity by the strengthening of regional identities and the growth of culturaldiversit... » 

What is national identity? What are the main challenges posed to nationalidentity by the strengthening of regional identities and the growth of culturaldiversity? How is rightwing nationalism connected to the desire to preserve atraditional image of national identity? Can we forge a new kind of nationalidentity that responds to the challenges of globalization and other deepseatedchanges? In this important new book Montserrat Guibernau answers these andother compelling questions about the future of national identity. ForGuibernau the nationstates traditional project to unify its otherwise diversepopulation by generating a shared sense of national identity among them wasalways contested and was accomplished with various degrees of success inEurope and North America. Such processes involved the cultural and linguistichomogenization of an otherwise diverse citizenry and were pursued by differentmeans according to the specific contexts within which they were applied. Atpresent the impact of strong structural sociopolitical and economictransformations has resulted in greater challenges being posed to the idea thatall citizens of a state should share a homogeneous national identity. Diversityis increasing and plans for further European integration contain the potentialto generate significant tensions casting greater doubt on the classicalconcept of national identity. As a result we are faced with a set of newdilemmas concerning the way in which national identity is constructed anddefined. The book offers a theoretical as well as a comparative approach withcase studies involving Austria Britain Canada and Spain as well as theEuropean Union and the United States of America. The Identity of Nations willbe essential reading for advanced students and professional scholars insociology politics and international relations. «