| The project establishes a generalizable definition of nationalism and a theoretical framework from which historical and current manifestations may be studied. Analyzing the emergence of English nationalism during the sixteenth-century provides a fertile setting for developing these theoretical points. Additionally, the case offers the opportunity to evaluate, and incorporate, existing theoretical contributions found in the literature.; The definition of a nation employed touches upon the sentimental and political aspects that operate within a dialectical relationship. While sentiment acts as a conduit for an inclusive community definition, the political aspect exclusively divides the community according to established sources of authority. The project assesses the emergence of the two aspects, and their relationship, within four social contexts of Tudor England. They include the merchant community, which emphasizes the Company of Merchant Adventurers and their struggle against the Hanseatic League traders; Tudor state institutions, including the Crown, Parliament, administrative apparatus, and the military; the Reformation, the Church of England, and the rise of Protestantism; and images of nationalism within Tudor drama, emphasizing the works of Shakespeare.; Each sector is considered in terms of the process by which nationalism emerges, and the factors that contributed to its emergence. These factors, categorized as operating on a structural, institutional, or individual level of analysis, are evaluated in conjunction with causal factors advanced in the literature in an effort to approach a generalizable theory of nationalism. The project concludes that structural factors, such as the rise of capitalism and an emerging world capitalist economy, are generalizable to other cases. Institutional factors, such as the presence of unique political or culture institutions are less generalizable, but play an important role in nationalist development when present. Individual reactions to change are the least generalizable; however, they are important to understanding variance among cases and constitute factors that make each case of nationalism unique. |
