Nationalism and Identity in Romania

Radu Cinpoes is Lecturer in Politics and Human Rights at Kingston University, where he obtained his PhD in 2006. He specialises in nationalism and identity politics.

• Preface * Nationalism - Conceptual Framework * Continuity and Discontinuity in the Romanian Nationalist Discourse * Tradition, Context and Transition to Post-Communism * The Greater Romania Party: Background, Competition and Significance * The Party and its Leader * The Decline of the Greater Romania Party * Romania in the EU: The Future of Nationalism * Conclusions

'Why has Romania's transition to democracy been so difficult? A major reason is, this book argues, the re-emergence of a powerful nationalism in the early aftermath of the December 1989 events, and the consolidation of a nationalist discourse from then on, which contributed significantly to the way in which post-communist Romanian politics were to be framed. This study is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the legacy of Ceausescu's national communism, offering a detailed examination of the most significant nationalist movement in post-1989 Romania, the Greater Romania Party, and explains how that party succeeded in monopolising the nationalist discourse in Romania.' - Dennis Deletant OBE, Professor of Romanian Studies, University College London; 'This is an excellent analysis of the emergence and the impact of extreme nationalism in Romanian politics in the post-communist era. Cinpoe? offers a sophisticated theoretical framework for the analysis of Romanian nationalism, both historically and in terms of its contemporary potency and dynamics that can be readily applied to the study of similar phenomena in other post-communist or transition societies and provides a much needed sober assessment of the career of one of the most significant nationalist actors in post-1989 Romania, the Greater Romania Party - The book will be essential reading for researchers and students of contemporary Romania, political transitions, nationalism and the far Right. It also constitutes a valuable addition to the existing bibliography on post-communist politics.' - Spyros A. Sofos, Senior Research Fellow, Helen Bamber Centre for the Study of Conflict and Human Rights, Kingston University; Editor, Journal of Contemporary European Studies