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Faces of Nationalism: Janus Revisited

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Nairn is one of the leading theorists of nationalism in the English-speaking world, and this book is a comprehensive collection of his thoughts on the subject. Actually a collection of his articles from various journals and newspapers, the book covers most of the vital aspects of nationalism theory today. Nairn's most interesting, and original, conception of nationalism is that it is not a by-product of industrialization (a view widely held by many contemporary social scientists) but rather the very essence of modernity. He argues that nationalism has been and to some extent still is all about creating the social cohesion which makes possible industrialization and economic progress. In this vein, he believes nationalism should not be criticized across-the-board as a negative or anti-progressive phenomenon as it can still act as an agent of emancipation and development for many of the world's oppressed or downtrodden populations. However, Nairn does not make the mistake of tying nationalism exclusively to development, as he correctly observes that it emerges in many essentially rural societies as a potent social/political force-indeed the outward expression of many nationalisms, from the "classic" nationalisms of 19th century Europe to the most modern is a kitschy fetishization of rural, "folk" traditions. Thus, Nairn sees nationalism as the result of the still ongoing transition from rural to urban, and as the essential means for many to deal with modernity. Of course, this is a very simplified summary of Nairn's complex theory, and it perhaps makes him look too much like a proponent of the savage violence committed on behalf of the nation, which he is not. Although one can dispute Nairn's views on the nature of nationalism, one thing he makes quite clear is that nationalism is a fixed aspect of modern politics, economics and society which, for better or worse, cannot be wished away by some sort of idealistic yet unrealistic internationalism or cosmopolitanism. "Faces of Nationalism" is a very important contribution to the study of nationalism and a must-read for anyone interested in increasing their knowledge of the topic. However, it should only be read after studying the works of the other major theorists of nationalism today (i.e. Gellner, Anthony Smith, B. Anderson, L. Greenfeld, etc.) simply because Nairn builds on many of their arguments and also engages in polemics with them.