An interdisciplinary conference on ‘Nationalism, Patriotism, Ancient and Modern’ is to be held in the University of Warwick.
The conference aims:
– To question the hypothesis that modern nationalism is a concept far detached from ancient societies.
– To challenge assumptions that nationhood and nationalism can only be identified as an evolving product of the Renaissance onwards by exploring the existence of early forms of nationhood and nationalism in ancient societies.
– To encourage and juxtapose dialogue on national collectivism a) between different ancient societies around the globe, and b) between the ancient and modern worlds.
– To explore new approaches and theoretical frameworks for exploring the issue of nationalism.
The majority ‘modernist’ opinion in the field of nationalism states that the concepts of nationhood and nationalism should both be restricted in their application to the modern world; they are viewed as products of post-antiquity Europe. Even the minority that argue that the concepts of nationhood and nationality can be seen to exist in ancient societies restrict their existence solely to Athens or the Jews. The dominating trend of thought in the field of nationalism is that nationhood and nationalism are aspects that can only exist in the ‘modern’ world either due to the right economic or technological conditions, or (in a European context at least) due to nationhood and nationalism being political and cultural end-products following the collapse of the Roman domination of Europe.
There is a wealth of evidence in literature, inscriptions, and material culture that indicate the presence of evolving forms of nationhood and nationalism. Consequently, “Nationalism, Patriotism, Ancient and Modern” is an interdisciplinary conference that aims to bring together a wide range of scholars in the Humanities and Political and Social Sciences to explore the existence of reciprocal relationships and influences between ancient societies around the globe and the modern concepts of nationhood, nationalism, and patriotism. Such an exploration will aim to consider and to develop further the new theory of Caspar Hirschi that nationhood and nationalism may indeed be seen to exist outside the sphere of the modern world. As such, it is hoped that ancient and modern can be properly united in thestudies of nationalism, and as such work together for the benefit of our understanding of the modern and ancient worlds.
Registtration for the conference is now open.
For queries address the organizer, Alexander Peck, PhD Student, Department of Classics and Ancient History
HRC Doctoral Fellow
University of Warwick