Nations and nationalism

Nation and nationalism are two referents which continue to play a major role in how politics and social life are organized. The present article discusses their relevance from two distinct perspectives. Traditional accounts of nation and nationalism have largely focused on the questions of ‘when’ and ‘what’ is a nation, i.e. on the historical origins and substance of the nation, including its civic/ethnic character. Starting from the early 1990s, new approaches have instead privileged the ‘how’ and ‘where’ of a nation, i.e. the ways and the sites in which the nation is reproduced and becomes a relevant resource in people’s lives. The article then focuses on one of the most pressing challenges the nation is facing today, namely the increasing ethno-cultural diversity of its population. Final remarks point to the directions where further research is needed and where political geography can offer an important contribution.