Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
Philosophical Perspectives

Edited by Nenad Miscevic

Nationalism is an increasingly powerful force in today's political world and a conspicuous element in all modern wars. Some philosophers reject any kind of nationalism, while others have tried to defend it as, in some form, morally acceptable. Nationalist claims often appear to clash with such values as individual autonomy, benevolent impartiality, unconstrained creativity, and inter-ethnic cooperation.

Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict presents 14 essays by leading philosophers, some in favor of nationalism, others opposed. From varying ethical perspectives, they discuss recent philosophical arguments for the value and necessity of national identity.

"Nationalism is not dead. One effect of this discovery is that ethics, moral psychology, and political philosophy have begun to take seriously the problem of understanding the heart and the head of the nationalist. In this fascinating collection many familiar philosophical positions are tested against the realities of nationalism. Some of the authors have first-hand experience of nationalism. Some are sympathetic to nationalism. All of them have cool heads and a keen eye for the complexities which the very idea of a philosophy of nationalism brings to light."
—Kevin Mulligan
University of Geneva

"Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict offers a definitive survey of recent work on 'liberal nationalism', supplemented with important materials on the problems of nationalism, patriotism, and cosmopolitanism. It is analytic political philosophy at its best, offering a rich harvest of careful arguments addressing the different sides of a complex and important issue."
— Barry Smith
SUNY Buffalo