Liberalism, Nationalism, Citizenship: Essays on the Problem of Political Community

Mima Vulovic is a sessional lecturer at York University who also works
at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

Ronald Beiner is a professor of political science at the University of
Toronto and the author of Theorizing Citizenship: What’s the Matter
with Liberalism? and Kant and Political Philosophy: The Contemporary
Legacy. In Liberalism, Nationalism, Citizenship, he presents an
enlightening critique of both liberalism and nationalism, grounded in
the fact that neither of the two political visions can honour
citizenship as a normative standard.

In endorsing the values of citizenship, the author touches on a wide
range of important topics, such as globalization, secessionist
movements, and multiculturalism—all of which pose urgent challenges to
modern communities. In lieu of liberalism and nationalism, Beiner argues
for the Aristotelian concept of shared citizenship, namely a political
community built on the tenets of inclusion and collective good.

The volume consists of two key parts. In Part 1, “Citizenship versus
Liberalism,” Beiner gauges the demands of the reinvigorated civic
involvement as greater than those of liberalism (with its inalienable
fetish of individuality) and considers possibilities and limits of
“communitarian political philosophy.” In Part 2, “Citizenship
versus Nationalism,” he examines nationalism, liberal nationalism, and
the rhetoric of self-determination, among other topics, and posits
shared citizenship as a far less parochial solution.

This lucidly written work is indispensable reading not just for
specialists, but for all those who are interested in alternative ways of
thinking about political community.