Overcoming Methodological Nationalism in Nationalism Studies: The Impact of Tourism on the Construction and Diffusion of National and Regional Identities

Abstract

AbstractDuring the last 30 years, our understanding of the nation‐building process in various parts of Europe and across the globe has increased substantially. Some of the most important results of this growing body of studies will be discussed in this review article, which consists of four parts. First, I will examine some innovative trends in the field of nationalism studies, such as the growing attention for the impact of nationalism on popular culture and the interplay between regional and national identities. The second part makes clear that the overwhelming majority of existing studies deals with one region or nation, while taking the national framework for granted. By presenting the history of Europe as a collection of (isolated) national histories, most scholars still fall prey to a methodological nationalism. One way to overcome this (implicit) methodological nationalism is to analyse the impact of foreign tourism on the construction and diffusion of national and regional identities. The role of tourism in the construction of territorial identities has already been explored in a growing number of studies. Some of the most important contributions to this field will be reviewed in the third part. Finally, I will argue that the impact of foreign visitors on the nation‐building process can best be studied in a comparative way by focusing on local communities as the arena in which the outside influences of an international, national and regional level came together and demanded a local response.