Myth and symbol: the persistence of ethnicity and religion

John Armstrong's work, in particular Nations Before Nationalism, is one of the few, important contributions to the study of ethnicity and nationality. When the implications of this work are considered, they show how the rigorously undertaken, serious study of nationality will never be just that; for it can and should open up for the humanities and social sciences further and productive consideration of the problems of kinship, religion, time, and myth and symbol in human affairs. Adapted from the source document.