The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere
This article challenges the standard narrative (e.g. Gellner) regarding the origins of modern nationalism in Europe, and Benedict Anderson's contrary suggestion that it first took shape in creole America, arguing instead that the formation of modern nationalism needs to be understood as a trans...
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crsagepubl:10.5153/sro.2043 2024-04-28T08:29:46+00:00 The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere Hearn, Jonathan 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.5153/sro.2043 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.5153/sro.2043 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.5153/sro.2043 en eng SAGE Publications http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license Sociological Research Online volume 14, issue 5, page 147-160 ISSN 1360-7804 1360-7804 Sociology and Political Science journal-article 2009 crsagepubl https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.2043 2024-04-02T08:16:09Z This article challenges the standard narrative (e.g. Gellner) regarding the origins of modern nationalism in Europe, and Benedict Anderson's contrary suggestion that it first took shape in creole America, arguing instead that the formation of modern nationalism needs to be understood as a transatlantic process, in keeping with recent research on Atlantic history. More specifically, the North Atlantic dynamic of imperial competition between Britain and France, that led to the American and French Revolutions, is seen as the crucible of modern state formation, and it is argued that the North Atlantic needs to be understood not simply as a geographic space, but as a distinctive sphere of social and ideological interaction, given the centrality of sea-going during this period. It was this complex social environment, centred on a long18th century, that most provoked new imaginings of national community. Toward this end the article articulates the analytic concept of the ‘interaction sphere’. With this it picks up on Charles Tilly's key concerns with how best to analyse large historical processes, and his emphasis on political competition and social interaction in explaining social change. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic SAGE Publications Sociological Research Online 14 5 147 160 |
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SAGE Publications |
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crsagepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Sociology and Political Science |
spellingShingle |
Sociology and Political Science Hearn, Jonathan The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
topic_facet |
Sociology and Political Science |
description |
This article challenges the standard narrative (e.g. Gellner) regarding the origins of modern nationalism in Europe, and Benedict Anderson's contrary suggestion that it first took shape in creole America, arguing instead that the formation of modern nationalism needs to be understood as a transatlantic process, in keeping with recent research on Atlantic history. More specifically, the North Atlantic dynamic of imperial competition between Britain and France, that led to the American and French Revolutions, is seen as the crucible of modern state formation, and it is argued that the North Atlantic needs to be understood not simply as a geographic space, but as a distinctive sphere of social and ideological interaction, given the centrality of sea-going during this period. It was this complex social environment, centred on a long18th century, that most provoked new imaginings of national community. Toward this end the article articulates the analytic concept of the ‘interaction sphere’. With this it picks up on Charles Tilly's key concerns with how best to analyse large historical processes, and his emphasis on political competition and social interaction in explaining social change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hearn, Jonathan |
author_facet |
Hearn, Jonathan |
author_sort |
Hearn, Jonathan |
title |
The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
title_short |
The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
title_full |
The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
title_fullStr |
The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Origins of Modern Nationalism in the North Atlantic Interaction Sphere |
title_sort |
origins of modern nationalism in the north atlantic interaction sphere |
publisher |
SAGE Publications |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.5153/sro.2043 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.5153/sro.2043 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.5153/sro.2043 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Sociological Research Online volume 14, issue 5, page 147-160 ISSN 1360-7804 1360-7804 |
op_rights |
http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.2043 |
container_title |
Sociological Research Online |
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14 |
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5 |
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147 |
op_container_end_page |
160 |
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1797587868540993536 |