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Scholars have neglected at a theoretical level the structuring role of warfare in the rise of nations and states. I argue that war‐making has been a constitutive force in the emergence and persistence of many national identities in four ways. First, wars can act as ‘turning points’ for good or ill to become national mythomoteurs. Second, they can create enduring popular we–they stereotypes against significant others. Third, they can generate a gemeinschaft of national sacrifice that anchors the nation after a return to peace. Finally, the outcomes of wars can legitimate ruling establishments or mobilise peoples against them. However, warfare can also disable nation formation. I shall focus on the impact of imperial wars on Eurasian borderland populations. While generating nationalism in these regions, such wars create shatter zones, marked by ethnic diversity and conflict that frustrate the formation of stable national communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve historians and social scientists reflect on Miroslav Hroch's contributions to the field of nationalism studies. There are essays on his pioneering comparative historical studies of 'small nation' national movements and his distinction between nationalism and national movements. Other essays focus on concepts such as those of protagonist, the three phases of national movements, the small nation and nationally relevant conflict of interest. A further set of essays explores how Hroch's approach can be extended beyond small nations, beyond Europe and into the contemporary period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an editorial for issue 30.1 of the journal Nations & Nationalism. It begins by expressing sorrow over the death of Professor Christopher Coker, the Director of IDEAS, the LSE think tank affiliated with the journal. The article also mentions the stepping down of John Breuilly as an Editor-in-Chief and Catherine Baker from the editorial team, while welcoming Gordana Uzelac back to the team. The issue features the printed version of the Ernest Gellner Lecture of 2023, given by Andrew Wilson at the ASEN Conference on 'Nationalism and Multiculturalism'. It also announces the upcoming ASEN conference in Edinburgh on the theme of 'Nationalism and Memory', as well as a themed section on 'Nation Promotion and the Crisis of Neoliberal Globalisation'. The article mentions the Anthony D. Smith prize and the Dominique Jacquin-Berdal Prize, awarded for outstanding articles published in the journal. It also notes the postponement of a debate on a book called The New Nationalism in America and Beyond, which will now be held as a virtual event. The article concludes by expressing gratitude to the editorial colleagues and the Wiley team, particularly the managing editor, Seeta Persaud. [Extracted from the article]

This paper reflects on salient aspects of the development of Nations and Nationalism over its first twenty‐five years to become the leading journal in its field. It outlines the context of its founding, its interdisciplinary character and the objectives to establish the subject of nationalism as a separate field of study. It discusses the strategies to advance the journal as a forum for scholarly exchange and how the journal has evolved. It outlines the rapid growth in the number of papers submitted to the journal and assesses the relation of the journal to the field today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports in the issue on the topics including one on Anthony D. Smith, founding editor-in-chief, the other on nationalism and the third on ethno-symbolism.

This article argues that warfare has been marginalised in theories of nationalism but that in conjunction with nationalism is vital for understanding the rise of nation-states, the formation of nations and the nature of the international system. It offers a critique of statist approaches, suggests mechanisms through which warfare may sacralise nations and explores different patterns of nation-state formation as they affect the interstate system. In particular, it emphasises tensions between state and nation-formation as activated by the fortunes of war and the destabilising effects of waves of imperial dissolution, which are accompanied by patterns of re-imperialization. It suggests that it is simplistic both to claim that war has led to a transition from empires to nation-states and that contemporary practices of war-making have led to a postnational era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An obituary for professor Anthony D. Smith is presented.

The article discusses the highlights of a debate regarding the book "The Long History and Deep Roots of Political Ethnicity and Nationalism" by Azar Gat staged by the journal "Nations and Nationalism" at the London School of Economics in England in November 2014. Chairman John Hutchinson introduced the debate. Historian Chris Wickham presented two reviews of the book. Gat responded to commentaries about his book.

The article presents the text of a 2007 public debate sponsored by "Nations and Nationalism" at the London School of Economics on the book "Nations as Zones of Conflict" by John Hutchinson. The debate was introduced by Eric Kaufmann, and oral reviews of the book were presented by Umut Özkirimli, Andreas Wimmer, and Gerard Delanty. John Hutchinson responds, and panel responses to questions from the audience are included.

The article presents the written version of the debate concerning the book "The Making of English National Identity," by Krishan Kumar. The debate was introduced and chaired by John Hutchinson and the three reviews of the book were also presented. The author made a reply and the panel of speakers responded to question and comments raised by the audience of the debate.

This is a valuable collection that investigates the complex relations between the discipline of archaeology, imperialism, and postcolonial identities. After a useful introduction, there are 16 chapters organised into five sections: defining approaches; colonialism and nationalism; indigenous voices; archaeology, art, and exoticism; and colonial and postcolonial legacies. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents an introduction to the January 2004 issue of the journal "Nations and Nationalism," which discusses social scientist Anthony D. Smith's about of nations and nationalism. It asseses various issues concerning Smith's ethno-symbolic approach. Ethnosymbolism stands in opposition to the modernist approach underpinning constructivist and instrumentalist theories of nations and nationalism. According to Smith basic themes derived from the claims made by ethno-symbolism are la longue durée, national past, present and future, ethnic basis of nations, longevity of nationalism and ethno-history.

Nationalism is a secular modern ideology that has been accompanied by revolutions and it has legitimised the rise to power of new social classes. For this reason many theorists have regarded nationalists as inventors of tradition and their claims to continuities with the past as either self-delusion or a form of deceit. Yet in many cases premodern ethnic identities have powerfully shaped the programmes and policies of many nation-states. How can nationalism be the expressions of ethnic continuity and also of revolutionary change? I will argue that nationalism is a novel form of ethnicity, shaped by the polycentric vision of romanticism and by the unprecedented and unpredictable challenges of the modern world that require innovation Nationalists are able to justify innovation because of the ‘layered’ nature of the ethnic past, and they are able to overcome established ethnic identities by generating at times of crises novel myths based on romantic acts of sacrifice by heroic elites that legitimise new national projects. But these new elite-driven national mythologies overlie rather than obliterate older ethnic traditions. These latter can come to life in the process of nation-building, redirecting it from its original secular goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the place of archaeology in the second wave of Irish cultural nationalism, and how archaeological findings were appropriated by rival ethno-religious communities in Ireland. In particular, it focuses on George Petrie, who was the founder of ‘scientific’ archaeology and was also one of the leading figures in the nineteenth-century Celtic revival that sought a moral regeneration of the Irish nation In Ireland, as elsewhere, archaeology was important in reconstructing an early history of the nation where few written records existed and in making this visible through material artefacts. However, archaeology was only significant as part of a wider cultural revival that presented artefacts and sites as national symbols to an island undergoing rapid social change. This article will explore the relationship between archaeology and this national revival, and how the material objects recovered by archaeologists extended and transformed the existing repertoires of how the nation was imagined and felt. It will assess the different reception of these images in the rival Catholic and Protestant communities. Finally, it will comment on the capacity of a medieval ‘Celtic’ repertoire to provide the basis of a dynamic modern Irish national culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented that discusses issue articles on topics including the history of the journal, the ideas of scholar Ernest Gellner about nationalism, and the relationship between nationalism and populism.

The article introduces various topics covered in the issue including different aspects of nationalism, hate speech and relations, and politics of architectural preservation.

An obituary for founding editor of the journal Professor Anthony D. Smith is presented.

The authors reflect on changes and developments relevant to the journal "Nations and Nationalism." Particular focus is given to the resignation of Professor Anthony Smith as editor-in-chief of the journal, as well as new appointees to the editorial team. Topics discussed include continued growth of the journal, 20th anniversary in April 2015, and Professor John Hall's 2016 Gellner lecture.

The editors celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the journal and discuss plans for 2015 including a round table about nationalism in various parts of the world, the addition of Rajesh Venugopal to the editorial team, and nationality articles to be published in the April 2015 issue.

The author enumerates some of the progress made by the publication "Nations and Nationalism" as of January 2012.