Interest in the study of national identity

As a collective phenomenon, it is a growing concern among the social and political sciences. This book addresses the scholarly interest in examining the origins of ideologies and social practices that give historical meaning, cohesion, and uniqueness to modern national communities.

Focus of the book

It focuses on the various routes taken towards the construction of cultural authenticity as an inspirational purpose of nation-building and reveals the diversity of the themes, practices, and symbols used to encourage self-identification and communality.

Techniques explored

Among the techniques explored are the dramatization of suffering and tragedy, the exaltation of heroes and deeds, the evocation of landscape, nature, and the arts, and the delimitation of collective values to be pursued during reconstruction in post-war periods.