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Title: The Myth of Nations: The Medieval Origins of Europe by Patrick J. Geary ISBN: 0-691-11481-1 Publisher: Princeton University Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.33 (3 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A Well-Grounded Review of National Identity
Comment: Geary's work on the recent origins of ethnic nationalism sheds much-needed light on the subjects of ethnogenesis and national identity. His principal thesis is the difference between ethnic and constitutional peoples, between static and dynamic views of the social and political entities around us. He gives a quick overview of Enlightenment era scholarship on nationhood and national history to outline how ethnicities have become more defined, however artificially, from the 18th to 20th centuries. He then moves on to a rather detailed account of early Medieval Europe, the complex interactions between the barbarian tribes and the deteriorating Roman Empire, and finally the rise of the kingdoms of the Franks, Anglo-Saxons and other amorphously defined groups of people. He ends with a quick comparison between Zulu and European examples of ethnogenesis to hint at the universality of his argument, which is based primarily on West European history.
Geary is relatively easy to read, except when he goes into great detail about early medieval law without sufficient explanation, and his interesting arguments are well-supported. His aversion to maps, chronologies and other study aids make it slightly more difficult for us lay folk, especially since he refers to so many archaic place-names and territories. Nonetheless, one can still easily grasp his main points without knowing exactly who the Juthungi were or where Pannonia was.
I really liked Geary's ideas, and so I wish he would have added a chapter developing his points on European myths of national origin into a more comprehensive theory that could be applied to such myths around the world.
Rating: 5
Summary: Very Good
Comment: A very interesting book, this is really an extended essay. Although three-quarters of his book is a general history of the peoples of late antiquity and the tumultuous early Middle ages, it will provide the laymen an introduction to this period as well as Geary's thesis. I do not paricularly like his writing style, especially the vulgarly emotive conclusion, yet it is an important work. Well-worth the read, I found much to ponder. I hope the Europeans and other peoples who idealize their so-called nationalism will take the time to read it. I am not optimistic.
Rating: 4
Summary: Roman Stability and Barbaric Myth
Comment: In his short but complex book Patrick Geary explains why the nomadic migrations of barbaric peoples, combined with the collapse of Roman authority,created a series of weak and temporal political units. To appeal to the diverse citizens of these units (it is hard to call them kingdoms), many of whom were recently absorbed through conquest, leaders attempted to define their cultural identity and unity by appealing to mythic stories of ethnic purity. If the citizens of the unit accpeted the commonality of origin, a sense of superiority over others was created. This served the leaders purpose by providing soldiers for future conquest and taxes.
By contrast, Roman citizens attained their status by agreeing to accept Roman law. Citizenship in the 300s and 400s was expanded to the point where a barbaric Frank or Goth could claim citizenship irrespective of his ethnic origin. When Rome was strong the barbaric tribes were absorbed by it and they took pride in their Roman affiliation. As Rome weakened the opposite occurred; Romans sought protection from their immediated neighbors and the distinction between the Imperial and the Barbaric faded. This movement of people from barbarian to Roman authority and then back to barbarian ultimately changed peoples identity so that they had no real ethnic roots. Attempts by modern populist leaders to claim an ancient historical connection to some mythical forebearers are precisely that-mythical connections that leaders have conjured up since the fall of Rome to separate, and finally legitimize, themselves from others.
Can anyone in France claim that they are truly descended from the Franks, when that terrotory was crossed, invaded, conquered and lost by Goths, Visigoths, Huns, Vandals and other lesser groups all before 500 AD? History creates nations, and people adapt to nationhood for survival. A people's willingnes to recognize themselves as a nation is largely out of political necessity and economic expediency. Geary argues that nations are being formed today,and new arguements to identify and purify a people will be made. They are likley to be no less fragile than the Visigoth nation of the 400's.
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Title: The King's Two Bodies by Ernst H. Kantorowicz ISBN: 0691017042 Publisher: Princeton University Press Pub. Date: 29 December, 1997 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Communities of Violence by David Nirenberg ISBN: 069105889X Publisher: Princeton University Press Pub. Date: 26 January, 1998 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State by Joseph Reese Strayer ISBN: 0691007691 Publisher: Princeton University Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 1973 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Origins of Courtliness: Civilizing Trends and the Formation of Courtly Ideals, 939-1210 by C. Stephen Jaeger ISBN: 0812213076 Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press Pub. Date: 01 February, 1990 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Cult of the Nation in France: Inventing Nationalism 1680-1800 by David A. Bell ISBN: 0674012372 Publisher: Harvard University Press Pub. Date: 01 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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