The concepts of ethnicity and ethnocentrism are very much relevant in the contemporary social and political discourse, which is characterised (among other features) by primordialism and traditionalism. In a modern day contextual setting, every nation-state, however tradition-bound it may be, is guided by a tendency to modernise. As a result, a clash becomes inevitable between the old setting and the new ethos and aspirations. Consequently, the whole social system is exposed to turbulence and it becomes very difficult to maintain the very structure of the social order. In this context, the role of the State as a political actor acquires critical importance. The basic questions in such a situation are going to be modernity versus old values, autonomy of the State, alternative(s) if State fails, and possible irrelevance of the State itself. To enable the State to overcome these dilemmas and challenges, a sound governing policy is needed to address all the social and political (as well as economic) issues in order to bring about a social equilibrium. In this connection, the role of civil society needs to be analysed closely because it can supplement the governing process in an effective way. A vibrant and strong civil society can enhance self-governance by making it more democratic and more responsive to the goals and concerns of the people at large.

At the outset, it may be observed, with some degree of reservation that nationalism and ethnicity are central to the subject of political discourse. This is true in the world of action or in the realm of ideas. Many conflicts have taken place all over the world around the ideas of nationalism or ethnicity. A very thought-provoking study reveals that more than 10 million lives were lost between 1945 and 1975 alone as a result of ethnic violence. Since then, this human toll has gone up dramatically. Thousands of people died in Rwanda and Zaire in the mid-1990s. The same has been the picture in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia and Latin America. This list may be even longer with the inclusion of many Western countries. Thus viewed, "nationalist passions are probably the strongest in the whole political spectrum, and are generally stronger today than those aroused by religion, class, individual or group interest."

These passions have been considered by many as having positive effects. While, for Gellner, it helped in the process of establishing a modern industrial society, Smith regarded it as the sole vision and rationale of political solidarity today. It provides legitimacy to the state and acts as a positive force behind the process of `nation-building'. But, while dealing with the discourse on the subject, one faces with many problems and issues, sometimes overlapping, sometimes contradictory in nature. The issues are complex and in many attempts, a synthesis has been made among various views by the scholars. In many cases, scholars have tried to develop an integrated theoretical approach. It should be noted that some of these theories are `mutually exclusive', while the others can complement one another.

Generally speaking, nationalism is both an `ideology' and `a form of behaviour'. The political aspect of nationalism is generally seen in the demand for national self-determination or `home-rule'. According to some observers, nationalists especially ethnic nationalists in many cases, engage in `presence group' politics. Ethnic groups are essentially `exclusive' or `ascriptive' in nature. It means that membership in such groups is confined to those who share certain inborn attributes. Nations are more `inclusive' when defined culturally or politically.

Governance And Public Policy Journal, ETHNICITY, Ethnocentrism, Traditionalism, Industrial Societies, Ethnic Politics, Ethnocentric Behaviour, Economic Crisis, External Marginalisation, Economic Stagnation Forces, Political Authoritarianism, Economic Development, Grand Coalition.