The Role of Empires and Regions in European History



Nation states seem to be a stable factor in the European political system. However, for ages empires were the main factor in European politics, before they were destroyed by nationalism. These empires usually lasted for centuries, which is longer then any nation state has survived until now. Also, the region was important throughout history, especially when it was based on language or religion. The process of European integration after the Second World War added extra value to the region as political factor next to the nation state. A historical overview.

Is the nation state eternal and sacred? To pose the question in this way is to give away the answer. No, the nation state is far from eternal, and far from sacred. However, this conclusion certainly needs to be underpinned, and we are going to do this in two ways: 1) by looking at two significant phenomena in Europe which do not coincide with the nation state, and 2) by pointing at some harmful and counterproductive consequences of the notion of nation state in Europe. Our analyses will be focused on the political history of Europe.

[lees het volledige artikel in Donau 2009/2]



Prof. Dr. B.J.S. Hoetjes (1945) took his degrees in political science/comparative politics from the University of Amsterdam (1970) and Leiden (1977). Worked as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and University of Leiden (Departments of Political Science and Public Administration). Extensive teaching and research assignments in the U.S., Canada, Belgium and other European countries. Since the mid-‘80’s he shifted his interest towards comparative public administration and European integration. He currently holds the special Chair in ‘Administration of regions - comparative and international perspectives’, at the University of Maastricht. Active member of the International Political Science Association (research committee on comparative federalism), the European Association of Researchers on Federalism, the Vereniging voor Bestuurskunde, the European Movement in the Netherlands.