National Thought in Europe: A Cultural History (Europa)

Ranging widely across countries and centuries, National Thought in Europe critically analyzes the growth of nationalism from its beginnings in medieval ethnic prejudice to the romantic era’s belief in a national soul. A fertile pan-European exchange of ideas, often rooted in literature, led to a notion of a nation’s cultural individuality that transformed the map of Europe. By looking deeply at the cultural contexts of nationalism, Joep Leerssen not only helps readers understand the continent’s past, but he also provides a surprising perspective on contemporary European identity politics. Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 Source Traditions......Page 24 Wilderness, Exoticism and the State’s Order: Medieval Views......Page 26 The Renaissance and Democratic Primitivism......Page 37 Anthropology and the Nation: Character and Climate in the Seventeenth Century......Page 53 Politics and the Nation: Patriotism and Democracy in Enlightenment Thought......Page 72 The Nation Empowered: Popular Sovereignty and National Unity in the French Revolution......Page 83 Culture and the Nation: Literature, the Public Sphere and Anti-French Relativism......Page 94 The Politics of National Identity......Page 104 Napoleon and the Rise of Political Romanticism......Page 106 Napoleon and the Rise of National Historicism......Page 120 Restoration and the Nation-State......Page 128 Nationalism as State Centralism......Page 138 Nationalism as Unification......Page 146 Nationalism as Separatism......Page 160 Identity Rampant......Page 172 The Nation’s Sources, the State’s Borders: Culture into Geopolitics......Page 174 The Nationalization of Culture......Page 187 Ethnic Nationalism and Racism......Page 205 Versailles and after......Page 220 Aftermath and Conclusions: Twentieth-Century Issues......Page 226 Tethering National Sovereignty: Transnationalism and Internationalism......Page 228 Postnationalism......Page 237 Neonationalism: After the Cold War......Page 243 From Nation-State to Civic State?......Page 249 Appendices......Page 254 Languages, Alphabets, Dialects and Language Politics......Page 256 Source References......Page 269 Bibliography......Page 284 Index......Page 305 Amsterdam University Press Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Preface 12 Introduction 14 Source Traditions 24 Wilderness, Exoticism and the State’s Order: Medieval Views 26 The Renaissance and Democratic Primitivism 37 Anthropology and the Nation: Character and Climate in the Seventeenth Century 53 Politics and the Nation: Patriotism and Democracy in Enlightenment Thought 72 The Nation Empowered: Popular Sovereignty and National Unity in the French Revolution 83 Culture and the Nation: Literature, the Public Sphere and Anti-French Relativism 94 The Politics of National Identity 104 Napoleon and the Rise of Political Romanticism 106 Napoleon and the Rise of National Historicism 120 Restoration and the Nation-State 128 Nationalism as State Centralism 138 Nationalism as Unification 146 Nationalism as Separatism 160 Identity Rampant 172 The Nation’s Sources, the State’s Borders: Culture into Geopolitics 174 The Nationalization of Culture 187 Ethnic Nationalism and Racism 205 Versailles and after 220 Aftermath and Conclusions: Twentieth-Century Issues 226 Tethering National Sovereignty: Transnationalism and Internationalism 228 Postnationalism 237 Neonationalism: After the Cold War 243 From Nation-State to Civic State? 249 Appendices 254 Languages, Alphabets, Dialects and Language Politics 256 Source References 269 Bibliography 284 Index 305 ISBN-13:,9789053569566 "Bringing together sources from many countries and many centuries, this study critically analyses the growth of national thought and of nationalism - from medieval ethnic prejudice to the Romantic belief in a nation's 'soul'." "The belief and ideology of the nation's cultural individuality emerged from a Europe-wide exchange of ideas, often articulated in literature and belles lettres. In the last two centuries, these ideas have transformed the map of Europe and the relations between people and government." "In tracing the modern European nation-state, cross-nationally and historically, as the outcome of a cultural self-invention, Leerssen also provides a surprising perspective on Europe's contemporary identity politics."--Jacket A topical history of nationalism provides also a surprising perspective on Europe's contemporary identity politics