A review by vindex86
Nations and Nationalism Since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality by Eric Hobsbawm

Fundamental to understanding the evolution of concepts such as nation, people, state and national belonging or identity. The author follows a foucaultian approach on the history of nations and nationalities, showing how the titular terms, i.e. nation and nationalism, mean very different things - and therefore have very different political consequences - at different times in history. The first four chapters are excellent in outlining the birth and development of theories and policies grounded on specific definitions of peoples, states and nations. The fifth chapter deviates slightly from this perspective - the title of the chapter is rather misleading here - being more specifically premised on the interconnections between languages/languaging, national identity or identification and subjectivity. The last chapter is incredibly poignant and ahead of its time - the author is writing in 1992 -in anticipating contemporary political challenges and inter/intra-national issues.