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One Nation as God? A Critique of Metaphysical Nationalism

University of Antwerp, Belgium

Starting with a description of some of the most salient examples of the religious character of post-revolutionary 19th-century European nationalism, the author continues with a discussion of the ambiguity of the doctrine of the Enlightenment regarding national and ethnic identity. Discarding the traditional dichotomy between 'Enlightened Rational Universalism' and 'Romantic Emotional Particularism', he stresses the mixed heritage of the modern nation-state and its 20th-century avatars. This is exemplified by the development of both liberalism and socialism towards moderate-to-extreme forms of nationalistic exclusivism (fundamentalism). In conclusion, the necessary conditions for a non-exclusive, secular 'new universalism' are proposed.

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