This book explores the roots of nationalism by examining the myths, symbols, and memories of the nation through an "ethno-symbolic" approach. It reveals the continuing power of myth and memory to mobilize, define, and shape people and their destinies. It examines the variety and durability of ethnic attachments and national identities, and assesses the contemporary revival of ethnic conflicts and nationalism.

The first major study in over three decades to explore the essential arguments of all the major theoretical interpretations of nationalism, from the modernist approaches of Gellner, Nairn, Breuilly, Giddens and Hobsbawm to the alternative paradigms of van den Bergh and Geertz, Armstrong and Smith himself.
In a style accessible to the student and the general reader Smith traces the changing view of this hotly discussed topic within the current political, cultural and socioeconomic arena. He also analyses the contributions of such historians, sociologists and political scientists as...

Nations and nationalism are central phenomena of the modern world, feeding into every aspect of personal and social life - the family, economy, culture, politics and internal relations. This multi-volume collection of articles and chapters brings together in a compact format the major texts, many of which are scattered in specialist and inaccessible journals. Beginning with classic texts of Max Weber and concluding with contributions by postmodernists, this set aims to provide students and scholars with an overview of important debates and lines of enquiry.

The Liberal Democratic Party in Japan remained in power continuously between 1955 and 1993. In this groundbreaking study of the dominance of the LDP in Japanese politics over the last forty years, Opposition Politics in Japan examines the challenges which were mounted against this regime and explores why they failed. The subjects covered include opportunities for a united opposition during the 1970s, ideological, organisational and electoral aspects of the opposition's lack of response to such opportunities and the causes of opposition fragmentation. The book also looks at attempts...

In The Antiquity of Nations, Anthony Smith provides a fresh interpretation of the character of modern nations. Departing from conventional wisdom, he argues the case for a deeper understanding of their character, based on an ethno-symbolic analysis of the myths, memories, symbols and traditions of pre-modern ethnic communities. Building on his earlier work, the author seeks to balance the undeniable novel components of the nation with its ancient, rooted and persistent attributes.





In the first part, the author provides a sustained critique of the...

In The Antiquity of Nations, Anthony Smith provides a fresh interpretation of the character of modern nations. Departing from conventional wisdom, he argues the case for a deeper understanding of their character, based on an ethno-symbolic analysis of the myths, memories, symbols and traditions of pre-modern ethnic communities. Building on his earlier work, the author seeks to balance the undeniable novel components of the nation with its ancient, rooted and persistent attributes.





In the first part, the author provides a sustained critique of the...

This major new work by Professor Anthony D. Smith challenges the notion of nationalism as a product of modernity.

• Major new work by a leading historical sociologist
• Challenges the prevailing idea of nationalism as a product of modernity
• Demonstrates that different political forms of community and collective identity from pre-modern times have contributed to the formation and character of nations
• Analyzes the chronology and nature of nations, from the ancient world, to the European Middle Ages, the early modern, and the modern eras
• Discusses...

This major new work by Professor Anthony D. Smith challenges the notion of nationalism as a product of modernity.

• Major new work by a leading historical sociologist
• Challenges the prevailing idea of nationalism as a product of modernity
• Demonstrates that different political forms of community and collective identity from pre-modern times have contributed to the formation and character of nations
• Analyzes the chronology and nature of nations, from the ancient world, to the European Middle Ages, the early modern, and the modern eras
• Discusses...

In this thought-provoking new book, Anthony Smith analyses key debates between historians and social scientists on the role of nations and nationalism in history.

In a wide-ranging analysis of the work of historians, sociologists, political scientists and others, he argues that there are three key issues which have shaped debates in this field: first, the nature and origin of nations and nationalism; second, the antiquity or modernity of nations and nationalism; and third, the role of nations and nationalism in historical, and especially recent, social change.

Anthony Smith...

Anthony D. Smith is Emeritus Professor of Nationalism and Ethnicity at the London School of Economics, and is considered one of the founders of the interdisciplinary field of nationalism studies. Anthony Smith has developed an approach to the study of nations and nationalism called ethno-symbolism, which is concerned with the nature of ethnic groups and nations, and the need to consider their symbolic dimensions.

This text provides a concise statement of an ethno-symbolic approach to the study of nations and nationalism and at the same time, embodies a general statement of...