UBC Press Against Orthodoxy book Paperback 376 pages

During the Cold War, nationalism fell from favour among theorists as an explanatory factory in history, as Marxists and liberals looked to class and individualism as the drivers of change. The resurgence of nationalism after the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, called for a reconsideration of nationalism and its role in history.Against Orthodoxy uses case studies from around the world to critically evaluate more than a quarter-century of scholarship. The essays in this volume reveal that although theories of nationalism have benefitted from fresh insights, they have also ossified into a new set of orthodoxies: some scholars characterize nationalism as an outgrowth of modernity, others view it as a European export, and still others see it as the brainchild of intellectuals. From North America to the Balkans and from Japan to Ethiopia, these theoretically informed and empirically grounded studies challenge some of these orthodoxies and offer new ways of thinking about nationalism as they explore four key themes: theory and history, minorities and multiculturalism in the nation-state, politics and the state, and the projection of nationalism onto the international stage.Collectively, the authors demonstrate that nationalism is not a singular phenomenon but rather a generative force reflecting complex historical, political, and cultural arrangements that defy simplistic explanations.