Synopsis
A scholarly account arguing that nationalism is rooted in felt ethnic kinship, a force scholars persistently underestimate.
Core passage idea
Paraphrase · Modern copyrighted workNationalism's true power lies in a perceived bond of shared ancestry, an emotional kinship that loyalty to a state cannot replace.
It explains why ethnic identity so often overrides civic, economic, or ideological ties in driving political loyalty.
To avoid a bubble
Pair with Michael Mann, The Dark Side of Democracy.
Reading note
Read it as comparative political science, tracking Connor's insistence on the affective core of nationhood.
Best paired with
Michael Mann, The Dark Side of Democracy