NATION NATIONALISM DOSSIER
San Marino conferences: foreword
Paulo Butti de Lima
The essays gathered in this dossier are the result of a series of conferences held by the Scuola Superiore de Studi Storici of the University of San Marino in October 2006. Several researchers with different background and education were invited to analyze the relatively recent history of national "feelings" and of the national historic processes of affirmation in the modern and contemporary world, based on the theme "Nation, Nationalism, Internationalism". From a multidisciplinary perspective, we sought to highlight the various facets of the discussion and the non-unique character of its expression. At bottom, the question is: are we still the "heirs" of this world of nations? Why can we not think and act differently when it comes to politics and citizenship?
The experience of the French Revolution, which exported the revolution along with its ideals and arms, is still a paradigm, and as such it is exposed in two of the analyses presented here. But another theme proves itself to be up-to-date, even when it is observed in facts that happened more than a century ago: the relationship with the "old" and its continuous re-creation as a unique reading of history. Naturally, this may be applied to the ever-reviving ancient Hebrew history, to the Roman world resumed as a fascist symbol, to religious conflicts that spread across European nations in their "resurgence", and to the creation of a nation in colonized lands.
San Marino conferences, as well as the conception and publication of this dossier were possible thanks to the collaboration of Professors Alfredo Bosi and Luciano Canfora.
Paulo Butti de Lima is professor of the Department of Ancient History, University of Bari, Italy. @ - butti@lettere.uniba.it
Translated by Cecília Mattos. The original in Portuguese is available at http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_issuetoc&pid=0103-401420080001&lng=pt&nrm=iso.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
26 Sept 2008 -
Date of issue
Apr 2008
