The Long and Winding Road of Nationalization: Eugen Weber's Peasants into Frenchmen in Modern European History (1976—2006)

Abstract

Thirty years after its publication, Eugen Weber's Peasants into Frenchmen still occupies a central place in European historiography on identity construction and the nationalization of the masses. This article reviews a number of studies that have been critical of Weber's theoretical and methodological design, and contrasts his approach with research in various European countries. Finally, it underscores the importance of comparative analysis when examining nationalization processes, and suggests some future lines of research.