What does it mean to be European at the cusp of the third decade of the twenty-first century? Why have issues of nationality, ethnicity and race become so central to Europeans during the last few years? What is the historical and cultural background to developments such as the fracturing of former multi-national states, the worrying rise of populists and the far right in politics, the development and posibble decline of a supra-national European Union, and the public debate on asylum and immigration? This module will examine recent debates about the nation-state, national identity, ethnicity, immigration and the idea of Europe from the end of the Cold War to the present day. By the end of this module you will be able to: • Define the key concepts used in this debate, e.g. nation, nationalism, state, ethnicity, etc.; and describe the • contested nature of these terms; • Summarize some of the most important contributions to the recent debates on nationalism and nation-building, • and indicate how they differ; • Compare the process of nation-building and the meanings of nationalism in the context of different European countries; • Compare debates about immigration, citizenship and national identity in contemporary Europe (and beyond).