Immigrants And National Identity In Europe (advances In Sociology)

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The author reviews main theories of nationalism and criticises their lack of elaboration on the role of 'Others' in nation formation. Drawing upon anthropological, sociological and social psychological perspectives, she develops a dynamic, relational perspective for the study of national theory.

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Immigrants and National Identity in Europe National identity and nationalism are social phemomena of increasing importance in contemporary society and politics. Over the past few decades, European identities in particular have been called into question by peripheral nationalisms, the revival of ethnic allegiances, religious communities and the creation of social movements preaching universal values. National identity may be surviving the upheaval, but it is not surviving unchanged. This work explores the role of Others, nations, ethnic groups and immigrant communities, in the formation and evolution of national identity. The book contains three core elements: • An overview of literature on nationalism. • A new and original theoretical perspective. • A rich set of original data. The author reviews the main theories of nationalism and criticises their dismissal of the role of Others in nation formation. Drawing upon anthropological, sociological and social psychological perspectives, she develops a dynamic, relational approach for the study of national identity. Her study also provides an empirical analysis through case studies concentrating on the press and political discourse on immigration in Greece, Italy and Spain. The results of these case studies are compared with earlier research on ‘old’ immigration countries, Britain, France and Germany. Scholars and students of Sociology and Social Psychology, particularly those working in the fields of Nationalism and Ethnicity, Ethnic and Race Relations, Immigration Studies, Comparative Sociology, Southern European Politics and International Relations, will find this work pivotal in ascribing importance to the Other in national identity. Anna Triandafyllidou received her PhD in social sciences from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. She has held teaching and research positions in Brussels, London (London School of Economics), Rome (Cosiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche) and Florence (European University Institute), where she currently co-ordinates a research project on immigration policy funded by the European Commission. She is the author of four books and numerous articles on nationalism, immigration and communication. Routledge Advances in Sociology This series aims to present cutting-edge developments and debates within the field of sociology. It will provide a broad range of case studies and the latest theoretical perspectives, while covering a variety of topics, theories and issues from around the world. It is not confined to any particular school of thought. 1 Virtual Globalisation Virtual spaces/tourist spaces Edited by David Holmes 2 The Criminal Spectre in Law, Literature and Aesthetics Peter Hurchings 3 Immigrants and National Identity in Europe Anna Triandafyllidou Immigrants and National Identity in Europe Anna Triandafyllidou London and New York First published 2001 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003. © 2001 Anna Triandafyllidou All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writi