What is Nationalism?
Østerud, Øyvind: Hva er nasjonalisme?During the last two centuries nationalism has been one of the most controversial and explosive phenomena, and in its name social forces have been mobilized for freedom and autonomy as well as for subjugation and violence. Following the Cold War, nationalism has once again become a highly topical issue both East and West of the old "Iron Curtain".
But what, in fact, is nationalism? And, going beyond the rhetoric of the propaganda speeches and the smoke screens created, what is the central idea of nationalism?
Through an in-depth investigation starting from a political scientific perspective, Øyvind Østerud shows us that much of what is being said about nationalism is misleading. His work in clarifying these issues also has implications for contemporary debate and the way in which this subject is reported in the media, and it is, therefore, directly relevant to current problems pertinent to developments in Europe today.
Nationalism is a collective term encompassing widely different issues and it is precisely this lack of clarity that is being utilized by the propaganda makers. Academically, however, it is vital to use precise definitions and the correct terminology. Rather than to ride one?s particular hobby horse, the aim must be to analyse the term of nationalism in order to clarify the concepts covered by this notion and to discover the various phenomena it refers to. By indicating where differences arise as a result of linguistic misunderstandings and where the disagreement may be the result of a genuine conflict of values, the author hopes that he has provided some clarification on the subject and that this will contribute towards making the political debate clearer and more rational. This is an informative book that succeeds in illuminating the difficult term of nationalism, and also encourages the reader to reflect on the way it is used.
Publisher: Universitetsforlaget (Scandinavian University Press) 1997
ISBN: 82-00-02488-1
137 pages, paperback
