The Making of Modern Lithuania [Hardcover]

This book argues that  contrary to contemporary Lithuanian nationalist rhetoric  Lithuanian nationalism was modern and socially constructed in the period from the emergence of the Lithuanian national movement in the late nineteenth century to the birth of an independent state in 1918. The book brings into sharp focus those aspects of the history of Lithuania that earlier commentators had not systematically explored: it shows how, in this period, the nascent political elite fashioned its own and the emerging nations identity. Moreover, factors such as the elites social isolation, educational experience, marital strategies and narrowly based, fragmented and uncoordinated political activities were crucial factors in shaping identity and nation-building. It demonstrates how the elite was often in conflict with the peasantry, the religious establishment and other ethnic groups, and how critical considerations such as class, religion, displacement and ethnicity  rather than national ideology  were. The books conclusion that Lithuanian nationalism is a construct emerging from modern social forces is highly significant for understanding nationalism and contemporary political developments in Eastern Europe more generally.

Introduction  1. Social and Historical Dimensions of Lithuanian Nationalism Prior to 1905  2. Making the Urban ?lite, 18831905  3. In Search of the People: The 1905 Revolution  4. The National Intelligentsia and the Womens Issue  5. In Search of the Nations Culture: Cultural Politics of Discipline, 19071914  6. Nation in Exile: War, Displacement and Nation-Making, 19141918 

'Based on the writings of the Lithuanian intelligentsia (newspapers, journals, memoirs, diaries) during the period of national formation and demonstrating a thorough acquaintance with secondary works in several languages, this important book immediately takes its place as the standal