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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was looking forward to reading 'Imagined Communities' as it is often seen as something of a standard text on nationalism. I ended up disappointed. The key lies with the subtitle of the book - 'Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism'. I'll try to pinpoint why but first I'll deal with what I think is valuable about the work.
It's beautifully written with witty asides and is easily read. There are plenty of insights into the way that nationalism works and how nations are imagined - that concept is a great one - how history, maps, museums, censuses, literature all contribute to the collective imagining of something called a nation and how this imagining is relatively modern. This is illustrated with some fascinating examples. Anderson is also fairly good at explaining how nationalism spread and how it has now become universal.
So, 'Imagined Communities' strength is explaining how nationalism works and, to a lesser extent, how it spreads. The weakness is in explaining the origins of nationalism. Anderson locates this in the coincidence of the rise of capitalism, the technology of print and language. Anderson also locates the first nationalisms as being creole nationalisms in the Americas thereby ignoring the rise of the nation states in the Netherlands and England prior to this. One is left with a nagging feeling that the explanation being offered here is inadequate.
Anderson is right to point out the rise of state bureaucracy in the relation to the rise of nationalism but neglects the idea that the needs of business and the protection of markets could play a similar function. In short, Anderson fails to account for the fact that the rise of nationalism mirrors the rise and spread of capitalism per se and not just print capitalism.
Anderson also states that the French model was as important as the creole in creating the template for nationalism to be copied throughout the world but then says virtually nothing about the role of the French Revolution in the creation of this template or, indeed, about the rise of nationalism in France. The reader is left to guess about how and why an idea which Anderson insists arose in places like Peru made it's way to Europe.
About two thirds of the way through, I had got the gist of the thesis and found the latter chapters unenlightening apart from illustrative examples.
It's beautifully written with witty asides and is easily read. There are plenty of insights into the way that nationalism works and how nations are imagined - that concept is a great one - how history, maps, museums, censuses, literature all contribute to the collective imagining of something called a nation and how this imagining is relatively modern. This is illustrated with some fascinating examples. Anderson is also fairly good at explaining how nationalism spread and how it has now become universal.
So, 'Imagined Communities' strength is explaining how nationalism works and, to a lesser extent, how it spreads. The weakness is in explaining the origins of nationalism. Anderson locates this in the coincidence of the rise of capitalism, the technology of print and language. Anderson also locates the first nationalisms as being creole nationalisms in the Americas thereby ignoring the rise of the nation states in the Netherlands and England prior to this. One is left with a nagging feeling that the explanation being offered here is inadequate.
Anderson is right to point out the rise of state bureaucracy in the relation to the rise of nationalism but neglects the idea that the needs of business and the protection of markets could play a similar function. In short, Anderson fails to account for the fact that the rise of nationalism mirrors the rise and spread of capitalism per se and not just print capitalism.
Anderson also states that the French model was as important as the creole in creating the template for nationalism to be copied throughout the world but then says virtually nothing about the role of the French Revolution in the creation of this template or, indeed, about the rise of nationalism in France. The reader is left to guess about how and why an idea which Anderson insists arose in places like Peru made it's way to Europe.
About two thirds of the way through, I had got the gist of the thesis and found the latter chapters unenlightening apart from illustrative examples.
61 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Without doubt the finest reflection on the origin and spread of nationalism ever written, not only in terms of its informed, imaginative perspective but also in the erudite quality of Anderson's narrative. As an expert on the history of South-East Asia, Anderson brings a valuable perspective to the all too Euro-centric debate on the rise of the nation state and the emotional attachment to it. A must for all who seek to discover the elusive and thusfar ill-defined origins of nationalism.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of those books that you kinda have to have on your shelf if you consider yourself any kind of social scientist. I managed to escape my entire undergrad by just referring to it, and not actually reading it. Now that I'm doing my masters, its not really an option. However, imagine my surprise, when on reading, I realise that its a wonderfully interesting and accessible book, AND it truly is seminal and applicable for most disciplines, psychology, anthropology, politics, international relations, linguistics etc. The concepts are explained clearly, and it looks more like a fun book than an academic text (which kinda makes all the difference for me)! Would definitely recommend, and for those people that don't feel the need for an extra piece of paper to validate their lives, its actually just a good book, full of insight, and (hopefully) will make you see the world a bit differently. :D
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great bargain
I want this book for an academic assignment which I won't need after I have done the assignment, so didn't want to spend too much on it. Read more
Published 12 months ago by student
never sure about this book
I read it as part of my self-education about nationalism since it was a topic that I've always wondered about on the personal level. Read more
Published 14 months ago by just another reader
Could Have Been Much Better
Was recommended this book as part of pre-MBA reading. I find it difficult to read and with a strong left bias. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Saveen Kumar
Landmark
Imagined communities is a landmark book which has yet to be superseded. It may well be the most significant book you will ever read on the phenomenon of modern nationalism. Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2009 by Andrew
Badly written though has some good points
This book though not totally without merit could have been condensed into about two pages of useful information. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2007 by Ibrahim Ali
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