Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires: Central Europe, the Middle East and Russia, 1914-23 [Paperback]

Aviel Roshwald (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415242290 | ISBN-13: 978-0415242295 | Publication Date: November 3, 2000 | Edition: 1

Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires is a wide-ranging comparative study of the origins of today's ethnic politics in East Central Europe, the former Russian empire and the Middle East.

Centred on the First World War Era, Ethnic Nationalism highlights the roles of historical contingency and the ordeal of total war in shaping the states and institutions that supplanted the great multinational empires after 1918. It explores how the fixing of new political boundaries and the complex interplay of nationalist elites and popular forces set in motion bitter ethnic conflicts and political disputes, many of which are still with us today.

Topics discussed include:

* the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian empire
* the ethnic dimension of the Russian Revolution and Soviet state building
* Nationality issues in the late Ottoman empire
* the origins of Arab nationalism
* ethnic politics in zones of military occupation
* the construction of Czechoslovak and Yugoslav identities

Ethnic Nationalism is an invaluable survey of the origins of twentieth-century ethnic politics. It is essential reading for those interested in the politics of ethnicity and nationalism in modern European and Middle Eastern history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The author shows how the interplay of nationalist elites and popular forces during the First World War ignited bitter disputes that have not yet been resolved.... Each chapter includes a discussion of the development of ethnic nationalism in the Middle East-- its seeding, growth, radicalization, suppression, and political expression in the form of the nation-state..
–Middle East Journal

A stimulating survey of First World War ethnic politics..
–The International History Review, December 2003

Superb... well-conceived and elegantly written..
–Nationalities Papers, June 2003

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (November 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415242290
• ISBN-13: 978-0415242295
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Aviel Roshwald is a Professor of History at Georgetown University, where he teaches courses on the comparative history of ethnic politics and nationalism in modern Europe and the Middle East, as well as on European diplomatic history. Together with his colleague John McNeill, he is the convener of the International History Seminar at the Georgetown Institute for Global History, which serves as a forum for scholars from around the country and around the world to present their work in progress.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the latest failures of multi-cultural empires, September 5, 2005

By 

Mr. Larry L. Stage - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires: Central Europe, the Middle East and Russia, 1914-23 (Paperback)

This book--'Ethnic nationalism and the fall of Empires' shows
that under the stress of war, elitism, the failure to create
and foster common causality, and with no real goal, empires
like the Russian Romanov State, the Ottoman Empire, and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, just will NOT survive.

The lessons to be learned is that when there is either no
common language, or the no attempt to learn the official spoken
tongue, any nation--especially the United States of America,
loyalty will be, at best, illusive. America's strength is in
diversity, yet there MUST also be common goals, from a common
heritage. The Romanov Dynasty was never truly able to
"Russify" it's vast diverse populations.

For the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish language was never accepted
by the majority of it's "citizens", and in the case of the
growing Christian Armenian community, it was religion that
helped "do in" the Turkish Ottoman "commonwealth".

In the case of Austria-Hungary, the ruling Hapsburg dynasty
tried to "Austro-Germanize" the growing Slovakian, Czech,
Bosnian, and Croat minorities, but could not create a new
Swiss-style confederation, with language, cultural, and political autonomy for it's diverse subjects.
Also, there never was a major threat or threats during it's
creation, that threatened all multi-national elements within
it's borders. The Hapsburgs were Vienna-born-and-bred.

For the United States of the 21st Century, the growing
Hispanic populations MUST be guided towards unity.
America MUST be an Organic State, because not to as such
will lead to national disintegration.

Romanov Russia, Ottoman Turkey, and the Austro-Hungarian
Empire had the "seeds of destruction" within their respective
'corpi-politici'.

I recommend this fine book!!

Nick Stage-PHDIndiana

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Untangling the Mess, January 13, 2010

By 

Nigel Haughthorn (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires: Central Europe, the Middle East and Russia, 1914-23 (Hardcover)

Ever wonder how the messy borders and messy politics of Eastern Europe and the Middle East came into being? Ever try in vain to untangle for yourself or others the confusing and confused history of these regions? Ever try to understand anything about World War I and its aftermath? If you answered yes to these questions, you have come to the right place, the one-stop shop for the subject. Aviel Roshwald's book, "Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires" sets it all straight. And it does so in remarkably clear and elegant prose. The book is a stunning achievement in historical synthesis that is a "must-read" for anyone calling themselves educated.