Jewish conditions, theories of nationalism: cartographical notes

Abstract

Thinkers with Jewish backgrounds contributed powerfully to our understanding of nationalism. We examine the different Jewish conditions in East Central Europe and Russia at the end of the nineteenth and at the start of the twentieth century so as to map the theories of nationalism that resulted. Four such theories are identified, each illustrated with reference to particular thinkers.

The importance of being Ernest: a Comment on Riga and Hall

“…There is misdirection in Professors Riga's and Hall's (: 384) comment on my work on Ernest Gellner's theory of nationalism (Meadwell ). My argument in that piece, and subsequent articles (Meadwell , ), is not about functionalism, as they claim.…”

“…Riga and Hall concede the functionalist critique of Gellner – ‘a large part of Gellner's view of nationalism is functionalist nonsense’ (Riga and Hall : 384) – so that they can move on to their own arguments. They then claim that my position is that this ‘functionalist nonsense’ is all there is to Gellner's theory of nationalism.…”