This volume investigates how a radical form of nationalism emerged in late 19th-century France to fundamentally reshape the nation's political landscape and influence subsequent twentieth-century ideologies. Robert Tombs, a distinguished historian of France, curates a collection of essays from leading international scholars to analyze the intersection of national identity, political policy, and social movements. By synthesizing original research and diverse academic perspectives, the text provides a rigorous examination of the forces that propelled French nationalism into the modern era.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the study of French political history due to the inclusion of previously untranslated or original work from prominent historians. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for those studying the evolution of European nationalism.