Nationalism and Internationalism in Post-Cold War Europe

Abstract

When the Cold War ended, permanent peace based on close interdependence and strong institutions appeared within reach in Europe. What had been achieved by the mid-1990s fell short of this internationalist vision. The question raised in this article is to what extent the realization of the vision was inhibited by nationalist concerns often ascribed to governments and peoples alike. The conclusion is that nationalist concerns not only hindered but also helped to promote change in the direction advocated by internationalists. `Nationalist internationalism' may be as significant as `deliberate internationalism' in world politics.