Bibliographical Information

The Morality of Nationalism Edited by Robert McKim and Jeff McMahan (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997) Order from the Publisher

Summary

The resurgence of nationalist sentiment in many parts of the world today, together with the erosion of national barriers through the continuing rapid expansion of globalizing technologies and economic structures, has made questions about nationalism more pressing than ever. Collecting new work by some of the leading moral and political thinkers of our time—including Jonathan Glover, Will Kymlicka, Avishai Margalit, Samuel Scheffler, Yael Tamir, Charles Taylor, and Michael Walzer — this volume seeks to illuminate nationalism from a moral and evaluative perspective rather than to provide policy prescriptions or predictive analyses. With discussion of issues such as the ideal of national self-determination, the permissibilitv of secession, the legitimacv of international intervention, and tolerance between nations, The Morality of Nationalism contains both pro- and anti-nationalist argument. Throughout, the contributors concentrate on matters of deep ethical and political significance: To what extent should people be permitted to act on the basis of loyaltv to those to whom they are specially related? Are there benign forms of nationalism? Should liberals repudiate nationalism? What value should we attach to cultural diversity?

(Summary excerpted from the Bulletin, Vol. LI, No. 1, Sept/Oct. 1997.)

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