The historical impact of national movements in Europe has been dramatic and continues to be an issue of major importance. This volume by leading historians discusses authoritatively European nationalism in its historical context. A glance at what is being shown or written in the media with regard to national and ethnical issues demonstrates the validity of this aim, not only with regard to the multinational former Soviet Union or Yugoslavia in Eastern Europe, but also (for example) to the "four nations" of the British Isles or bi-national Belgium in the west.