Nationalism and Populism : Emotion, Reason, and the Crisis of Contemporary Democracy

This volume explores the connections between emotions and rationality in relation to the rising tide of nationalism in the European Union. It brings together leading experts in philosophy, psychology, political theory, and sociology to provide interdisciplinary perspectives on this timely topic.

This volume explores the connections between emotions and rationality in relation to the rising tide of nationalism in the European Union and globally. It brings together leading experts in philosophy, psychology, political theory, and sociology to provide interdisciplinary perspectives on this timely topic. The volume starts from the hypothesis that certain political emotions—such as feelings of being disrespected or left behind—are complex cognitive-emotional attitudes often wedded to nationalism. Currently, people who harbour these feelings are frequently critical of transnational projects. This volume presents new interdisciplinary research on the ways in which these feelings feed nationalistic fervour and how emotions affect or even undermine rational discourse in politics. Part One focuses on the resurgence of nationalism and the use of grievances and resentful politics as governing strategies. Part Two moves toward a discussion of right-wing populism and a case study of the Catalan independence conflict. In Part Three, authors discuss how emotional processes fuel nationalism through the exploitation of anger and fear. Part Four closes out the volume with interrogations of populism and nationalism that focus on specific instances of both within the European Union. Nationalism and Populism: Emotions and Rationality in Current Challenges to Democracy will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working in political philosophy, philosophy of emotion and rationality, political theory, cognitive, social and political psychology, and political sociology.