The historical impact of national movements in Europe has been dramatic and continues to be an issue of major importance. Leading historians discuss authoritatively European nationalism in its historical context. Nationalism is not of course a specifically European phenomenon, but for reasons of space and intelligibility coverage has been limited geographically. The aim is that the essays should attract readers interested in a historical problem which has been difficult to encompass theoretically and to deal with practically. A glance at what is being shown or written in the media with regard to national and ethnical issues demonstrates the validity of this aim, not only with regard to the multinational former Soviet Union or Yugoslavia in eastern Europe, but also (for example) to the 'four nations' of the British Isles or bi-national Belgium in the west.