Nationalism and national identity are powerful yet contested concepts in the realms of politics and society. Nationalism refers to an ideological and political movement that seeks to promote the interests, culture, or sovereignty of a particular nation, often grounded in shared myths, memories, and symbols. National identity, meanwhile, refers to the sense of belonging and collective self-understanding that individuals associate with their nation. While these concepts can provide cohesion and solidarity, they also present challenges when weaponised to exclude, marginalise, or polarise.
Scholars such as Rogers Brubaker (1996), Michael Billig (1995), Craig Calhoun (1997), Cynthia Miller-Idriss (2009), along with Umut Özkırımlı (2000) and Michael Ignatieff (1993), have examined how nationalism adapts to globalisation, migration, populism, and digital politics. Their work shows how nationalism shapes political behaviour, party competition, and public debates about belonging, democracy, and legitimacy.
Today, nationalism is increasingly linked to radicalism, far-right mobilisation, and geopolitical conflict, raising urgent questions about its effects on global governance, democratic stability, and social cohesion.
Understanding nationalism and national identity matters because they remain among the most influential forces shaping twenty-first century politics. From the mobilisation of nationalist rhetoric in electoral campaigns to its deployment in foreign policy, these forces can serve as unifying frameworks that mobilise collective action in times of crisis. Yet, they also risk reinforcing exclusionary boundaries, legitimising illiberal policies, and fuelling populist and extremist movements. Examining how nationalism is expressed and contested across diverse contexts enables scholars to address global challenges, including the rise of authoritarianism, the normalisation of far-right discourses, and the renegotiation of identity in multicultural societies. Without critical engagement, the ambivalent power of nationalism risks destabilising democratic values and deepening societal divisions.
The aim of this Collection is to bring together interdisciplinary perspectives on nationalism and national identity to critically examine their roles in contemporary politics, society, and culture. By drawing on insights from political science, sociology, history, anthropology, cultural studies, media and communication, and related fields, this collection seeks to advance both theoretical and empirical debates. We invite contributions that investigate the ways nationalism and national identity are constructed, challenged, and mobilised, particularly in relation to radical politics, populism, migration, gender, religion, and global conflict. The goal is to provide a nuanced and comparative understanding of nationalism’s role in shaping contemporary political landscapes and to propose pathways for mitigating its exclusionary and destabilising effects.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Nationalism and populism in comparative perspective
- The role of national identity in far-right movements
- Nationalism, migration, and belonging
- Media, digital platforms, and the circulation of nationalist discourses
- Civic versus ethnic nationalism in global politics
- National identity and foreign policy decision-making
- Nationalism and gender: masculinities, femininities, and LGBTI+ struggles
- Intersections of religion and nationalism in secular and non-secular contexts
- The geopolitics of nationalism: war, security, and sovereignty
- Nationalism, colonial legacies, and postcolonial challenges
- Methodological approaches to studying nationalism: discourse, surveys, ethnography
Editors
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