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. Nationalism and War scrutinizes existing approaches that view both nations and nationalism as recent products of martial state-building that began with the military revolutions in Europe, and argues that nationalism and national communities emerged independently in the Middle Ages to shape both war-making and state-building. This book also 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. It shows how nationalist military revolutions led to the downfall of Empires in total war and the mass production of postcolonial nation states. But problems of security have also inspired recurring patterns of re-imperialization. This book refutes claims that we are now in a global and post-national era where traumatic accounts have replaced the heroic narratives that once sustained nation-states. Finally, it appraises approaches that claim there is an inherent connection between nationalism and collective violence, arguing such connections are largely contingent.

About the Author
John Hutchinson is Associate Professor (Reader) at the London School of Economics. He has authored and edited several books in the field of Nationalism, including The Dynamics of Cultural Nationalism, Modern Nationalism and Nations as Zones of Conflict. He is currently Vice-President of the Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism and Co- Editor of Nations and Nationalism.

Reviews
Hutchinson's study captures the complexity of nation building, with its varying, spatially bounded timelines, areas of mixed settlement, cultural traditions, and political priorities, both internal and external... (His) overarching thesis about the strength of national allegiances and the centrality of the relations of bellicose nation-states - first in Europe and then in much of the rest of the world, where "nation state-building continues in many of the 'new wars'" (2) - is a compelling one. * Mark Hewitson, University College London, Journal of Modern History *
Hutchinson provides a nuanced examination of the collapse of empires and the subsequent rise of nation-states...[His] ethno-symbolist approach pays more attention to the myth-making and commemoration rituals after wars than to the war experience itself. This results in a fascinating chapter...which deals with the role of symbols, we-they stereotypes, social rituals, commemorations, and the long-term consequences of all of these. * Eric Storm, History: Reviews of New Books, 47:3, 2019, 47-50 *
The comparative range of this relatively short book, the close engagement with the theoretical literature around both nationalism and the role of war in state formation, and the author's readiness to question received opinions make this a rich and rewarding study, with food for thought on every page. It will provide much material for debate in advanced level and graduate seminars, as well as among other scholars. * Andrew G. Bonnell, University of Queensland, Australian Journal of Politics and History *
A quite remarkable study that in the breadth and depth of its analysis should inform any and all future debate in respect of the relationship between warfare and nationalism. Hutchinson constructs his sophisticated and superbly structured thesis on a canvas as historically deep as it is geographically broad; stretching from the Thirty Years War to Vietnam, from the Balkans to Burma. * Susan Mary Grant, Nations and Nationalism *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198798453
Author John Hutchinson
Format Hardback
Page Count 232
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 492g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 160mm * 20mm