Nations and Territorial Identities in Europe: Transnational Reflections

Abstract

This essay aims to explore the question of the difference between ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ European nationalism in historical terms, and to inquire whether it makes sense to refer to a dichotomy between ethnic and civic nationalism intrinsically related to that divide, ascribing them to certain areas of Europe according to historians’ own ‘mental maps’. Taking into account the existing links between nationalism, national history and the emergence of history as an academic discipline, an exploration of the ‘territorial entanglements’ still evident in a large part of the scholarly literature will attempt to highlight the key issue as to whether it is possible to identify a ‘European way’ of studying nationalism and territorial identities, or whether it is more convenient to proceed to a ‘reprovincialization’ of European nationalism(s).