Nationalism and globalization are two major contradicting force in the world today. The roles that these two forces play and the impact of globalization on countries differ. Both Western and Asian "nation-states" have faced the challenge of globalization in recent decades, and the challenge has become more intense since the 1990s. The decline of communism and socialism as ideologies, and decreasing importance of national boundaries for capital, companies, and even labour, have had profound implications for national identity. Thus, the impact of globalization on "nation-states" is not identical.
How have "nation-states" coped with the globalization? Has it led to stronger nationalism or national disintegration? What has happend to national identity? Is the concept of "nation" still relevant in the era of globalization? To answer these question, twelve countries--six from the West (France, UK, USA, Yugoslavia, Australia, and Russia) and six from the Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, and India) have been selected for study. These countries represent a wide range of national experiences--from "old" states to "new" states. From mono-ethnic nations to multi-ethnic ones, and from surviving nation-states to decaying ones. Apart from the individual country studies, the last chapter summarizes and compares the findings of these country studies, throwing light on the various types of the nationalism, and the gains dan losses of these countries in the process of globalization. (back cover)