The Limits of Nationalism

A radical new perspective on the demands made in the name of cultural nationalism.

Chaim Gans (Author)

9780521808644, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 February 2003

202 pages
23.6 x 15.8 x 1.9 cm, 0.449 kg

'… ranks among the best recent works of liberal nationalist philosophy.' Ethnic & Racial Studies

This book discusses the justifications and limits of cultural nationalism from a liberal perspective. Chaim Gans presents a normative typology of nationalist ideologies, distinguishing between cultural liberal nationalism and statist liberal nationalism. Statist nationalisms argue that states have an interest in the cultural homogeneity of their citizenries. Cultural nationalisms argue that people have interests in adhering to their cultures (the adherence thesis) and in sustaining these cultures for generations (the historic thesis). Gans argues that freedom- and identity-based justifications for cultural nationalism common in literature can only support the adherence thesis, while the historical thesis could only be justified by the interest people have in the long-term endurance of their personal and group endeavors. The Limits of Nationalism examines demands often made in the name of cultural nationalism, such as claims for national self-determination, historical rights claims to territories and demands entailed by cultural particularism as opposed to cultural cosmopolitanism.

Introduction
1. Nationalist ideologies - a normative typology
2. The liberal foundations of cultural nationalism
3. National self-determination
4. Historical rights and homelands
5. Nationalism and immigration
6. Nationalism, particularism and cosmopolitanism
7. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Sociology & anthropology [JH], Philosophy [HP]