About “What Is a Nation?”
"What Is a Nation?" is an 1882 lecture by French historian Ernest Renan, delivered at the Sorbonne. In it, Renan argues that a nation is "a daily plebiscite," suggesting that national identity is continuously reaffirmed. He also claims that nations are shaped by what people jointly forget as much as by what they remember. The lecture is often cited in discussions of nationalism and national identity, particularly in political science and history. It reflects a social constructivist view of the nation, emphasizing the role of shared memory and collective choices in forming national identity. The work remains influential in academic discourse on the nature of nations. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)
Book details
- ISBN
- 9798988739951
Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.