This special issue aims to acquaint the readers of Nations and Nationalism with some of the central debates on gender and nationalism that have evolved over the last two decades. This field has moved from providing empirical footnotes to more general discussions of nationalism (featuring, in particular, studies of women's role in nationalist movements or national liberation struggles) to articulating a fundamental critique of mainstream theories. Critiques of gender-blind approaches to the treatment of national and ethnic phenomena are based on the premise that such approaches limit our understanding of the complex material, political and symbolic processes involved in the articulation of various national projects. The articles presented in this issue illustrate both the different positions in these debates and the varied ways in which a gender perspective illuminates our understanding of national and ethnic processes.