The Nation in the Village

The Nation in the Village examines how rural populations develop national identities. This work of modern Eastern Europe history challenges the theory that nationalism simply trickles down from urban intellectuals to the working class. Focusing on Polish peasants in Austrian Galicia from 1848 to the start of the First World War, the text analyzes the shift from loyalty toward the Austrian Emperor to a fervent Polish patriotism.

This interdisciplinary study blends social history, anthropology, and sociology to explain the symbiosis between peasant elites and upper-class reformers. By exploring political ideologies and nationalism, the author reconstructs the internal conflicts and public life of rural communities. The Nation in the Village utilizes a comparative approach, drawing on global examples of national identity formation to provide a detailed analysis of 19th century and 20th century social science.