Ethnicity and nationalism are pervasive features of the contemporary world. How far is ethnicity a result of cultural differences, and how much is it in fact dependent on the practical use of, and belief in, such differences? Thomas Hylland Eriksen demonstrates that far from being an immutable property of groups, ethnicity is a dynamic and shifting aspect of social relationships. Drawing on a wide range of classic and recent studies, Eriksen examines the relationship between ethnicity, class, gender and nationhood in a lucid and comprehensive manner.

A core text for all students of social anthropology and related subjects, this third edition of Ethnicity and Nationalism is indispensable to anyone seriously interested in understanding ethnic phenomena. New topics covered include cultural property rights, the role of genetics in the public understanding of identification, the commercialisation of identity, and the significance of the internet.