National Narcissism offers a groundbreaking anthropological and sociological approach to
nationalism through an exposé of the belief systems and psychology of extreme nationalists for
whom nationalism is a form of religion. This theoretical approach is illustrated with examples
primarily taken from Hungary with a special focus in two chapters on the role of gender in
nationalism. The state of politics and society in Hungary is also examined in a way that steps
beyond the usual simplistic flat narratives of 'what Hungarians are like' by stressing the
broad variety of viewpoints current in Hungarian society the milieu in which a small minority
of extreme nationalists are able to make their voice heard out of proportion to their numbers
or political support. The theory offered by National Narcissism has wide-ranging implications
for the future study of extremist nationalism in nation-states throughout the world.
Sociologists anthropologists nationalism studies specialists social-psychologists and
historians of the recent past in Hungary will find that this theoretical book richly
illustrated with examples from Hungarian society challenges positive and negative stereotypes
about nationalism extremism post-communism central and eastern Europe the European Union
and not least about Hungarians themselves.
