Introduction

With the near completion of the decolonization process which resulted in the birth of a host of Afro-Asian states in the 1960s, it was generally assumed that nationalism had passed its heyday. Ever since the French Revolution, nationalism had exerted such a powerful influence on the thinking of mankind that it was hard to imagine that it would ever lose its appeal. But the end of colonialism and the gradual emergence of an interdependent world seemed to suggest that the age of nationalism was well and truly over. Economic, cultural, and communication links that have been operating regardless of national borders seemed to confirm the presence of a transnational world rather than a community of narrow, national entities. Sovereign states were thus seen to be fighting a rearguard action as boundaries became porous and penetrable by unconventional intruders. But the events associated with the end of the Cold War, particularly the break-up of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, have belied such claims. Several new states have emerged in the wake of the disintegration of these two former federations, fuelled by the spirit of nationalism. Consequently, the present day world is witnessing a resurgence of nationalism as manifested in the integration and fragmentation processes operating between and within states. Increasingly, nationalist demands are surfacing both in the developing and developed countries. Nationalism has once again begun to take centre stage in many places. In developing countries, its manifestation is evident in the people's aspiration for autonomy and greater political participation together with the urge to negotiate for these benefits on the terms and conditions set by them. The developed world too has not been spared the nationalist challenge as seen in the case of Canada, Spain, and Britain. Even in a clearly defined nation-state like France tensions are apparent as the country experiences a sharp cultural diversity between the migrants from the Maghreb and the French people. These developments warrant a fresh look at the process that leads to the emergence and propagation of a national identity.

The cases of individual nation-states while being important must, however, be located within the broader context of the contemporary international order, the defining feature of which is globalization. It would appear that the world we live in at present is confronted by the contradictory pulls of nationalism and globalism.