Nationalism emerged as a significant ideological current in late 18th-century Europe. Over time, it gradually spread across Europe and the New World, eventually becoming a prevailing ideology after World War II. This talk explores the origins of nationalism, its global expansion, the nature of nationalist ideology, and the current trends of nationalist movements in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Unlike most theories of nationalism, Dingxin Zhao argues that nationalist movements are fundamentally products of early modern European politics, with the geopolitics of empires shaping each major transformation in the nature and trajectory of global nationalist movements.
Professor Dingxin Zhao's research covers the areas of social movements, nationalism, comparative historical sociology, social change and economic development. His interests also extend to micro-sociology, ecological sociology, sociological theory, and methodology.