Publisher's Synopsis
As the trend towards democracy gathers pace in contemporary China, it is clear that an examination is necessary of the complex relationship that exists between nationalism, national identity, the state, the direction of this trend and the democracy's subsequent prospects. - - Popular Chinese nationalism attempts to exclude the role of the Party-state in defining national identity and, most importantly, has the potential to push for democratization in China. Chinese nationalism, whether official or popular, comes into conflict with democracy when it confronts the national/boundary problem. The Chinese nationalist solution to the national identity problem is logically and inherently opposed to the contemporary trend towards democracy. - - This work provides critical analysis of the multiple faces of nationalism, its construction of national identities, and the tensions between democratization and nationalist strategies in trying to address national identity problems.
