ABSTRACT
Almost all writing on nation or nationalism begins on a cautionary note. This chapter is no exception. The vocabulary is full of pitfalls and the distinction between myth and social structures, processes and relations of power are not made as frequently as might be expected. The social functions of myth have long been recognized and analysed by anthropologists and sociologists as part of understanding how people make sense of their world and how they legitimate their actions. The analysis of the importance of myth in creating and sustaining the idea of nation and its significance to nationalism is, however, only one part of the task of understanding and explaining them. Both terms are used for what on closer analysis are shown to be different phenomena in terms of causes, consequences and meanings. Moreover, unless existing alternatives to nation and nationalism are considered, whether as narratives, belief systems or value orientations, our analysis is not likely to be very adequate.
