This interdisciplinary book is the first systematic study of the relationship between nationalism and war and, as such, makes an original contribution to theories of nationalism and state formation. It offers a dynamic and interactive framework by which to understand the role of warfare in its changing manifestations in the rise of nation states, the formation of national communities, definitions of political rights and duties, and the transformation from a world of empires to one of nation states. Chapter 1 rejects existing approaches that view both nations and nationalism as recent products ... More

This interdisciplinary book is the first systematic study of the relationship between nationalism and war and, as such, makes an original contribution to theories of nationalism and state formation. It offers a dynamic and interactive framework by which to understand the role of warfare in its changing manifestations in the rise of nation states, the formation of national communities, definitions of political rights and duties, and the transformation from a world of empires to one of nation states. Chapter 1 rejects existing approaches that view both nations and nationalism as recent products of martial state-building that began with the military revolutions in Europe. Instead it argues nationalism and national communities emerged independently in the Middle Ages to shape both war-making and state-building. Chapter 2 explores the connection between war commemoration and the creation of nations as sacralized communities that offer meaning and purpose to a world marked by unpredictable change. Chapter 3 investigates the relationship between nationalist military revolutions and the downfall of empires in total war and the mass creation of postcolonial nation states and patterns of re-imperialization. Chapter 4 rejects claims that we are now in a postnational era where contemporary conflicts take on global significance and where traumatic have replaced the heroic narratives that once sustained nation states. Finally, Chapter 5 appraises approaches that claim there is an inherent connection between nationalism and collective violence, arguing such connections are largely contingent. The conclusion reflects on the implications of the study for theories of nationalism.