Homogenisation, nationalism and war: should we still read Ernest Gellner?*

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8129.2007.00292.x

If you are seeing this message, you may be experiencing temporary network problems. Please wait a few minutes and refresh the page. If the problem persists, you may wish to report it to your local Network Manager.

It is also possible that your web browser is not configured or not able to display style sheets. In this case, although the visual presentation will be degraded, the site should continue to be functional. We recommend using the latest version of Microsoft or Mozilla web browser to help minimise these problems.

Systems Maintenance, Monday, 15th February 2010

Wiley InterScience

Nations and Nationalism

Volume 13 Issue 3, Pages 371 - 394

Published Online: 20 Jul 2007

Published on behalf of the Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism

Go to Society Site

Next Abstract >

Save Article to My Profile Download Citation Request Permissions

Abstract | References | Full Text: HTML, PDF (Size: 171K) | Related Articles | Citation Tracking

Homogenisation, nationalism and war: should we still read Ernest Gellner?^*

DANIELE CONVERSI ^**

^** European Policy Research Centre, University of Lincoln, UK

^*I wish to thank the four anonymous referees for their extensive, detailed and highly relevant comments. The article has also benefited from the advice and criticism of several colleagues at LSE and elsewhere, who have commented on previous drafts. A particular mention should be made of Professors John Breuilly, Will Kymlicka, Walker Connor, Peter Somerville, Cathie Carmichael and Dr David Chilosi.

KEYWORDS

homogenisation • militarisation • theories of nationalism

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT. Is homogenising nationalism a consequence of industrialisation? This view has been most forcefully and systematically advanced by Ernest Gellner. The article contests this approach by focusing instead on militarism and militarisation. It therefore identifies the key role of the mass army as presaging the era of mass nationalism and cultural homogenisation. Drawing on a range of authors from history, sociology and political science, the relationship is found to be reciprocal and symbiotic. A preliminary exploration on the possibility of early modern (or pre-modern) forms of cultural homogenisation is preceded by a critical assessment of Gellner's interchangeable use of the terms culture, language and ethnicity.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1469-8129.2007.00292.x About DOI

Find other articles like this in Wiley InterScience
Find articles in Wiley InterScience written by any of the authors

Request Reprint Reprint Request

Wiley InterScience is a member of CrossRef.

	60 Days of Complimentary Access
Click here to register for your FREE 60-day trial to *Peace & Change!*

VIRTUAL ISSUE: Psychological Perspectives on Politics

Access this free virtual issue of Political Psychology that uses psychological theory and methods to explore important questions in political science.

Read now

Special Issue on David Sears

Political Psychology recently published a special Forum on David O. Sears' Ongoing Contribution to Political Psychology. Wiley-Blackwell is pleased to offer free online access to all the articles from this special journal issue.

Start reading!