The last three decades, the discourse, myths, symbols and rites of the most diverse nations and national(ist) movements, have been amply studied. Much of this research, however, is informed by a limited conception of the constructivist paradigm, interpreting national identity as a middle and upper class concern brought to the masses through a whole range of nationalising media (schools, army, press, monarchy, church, etc.) overemphasizing the idea of elite construction ex nihilo (as if dominant groups can randomly choose which myth they want to 'feed' to the masses). This conference wants to study not only the production of national discourse, but also its appropriation by 'ordinary people' and the masses' creativity in forging new national symbols from below. The temporal framework of the conference is the late 18th century to the end of the First World War, the geographic limit is Europe. The intended audience includes historians, political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, ... Publication of the proceedings is planned.

Programme committee
Heinz-Gerhard Haupt (European University Institute)
Martyn Lyons (University of New South Wales)
Gérard Noiriel (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en sciences sociales)
Anthony D. Smith (London School of Economics), honorary member
Niek Van Sas (University of Amsterdam)
Jakob Vogel (Centre Marc Bloch. Deutsch-französisches Zentrum für Sozialwissenschaften)

Key-note speakers
John Breuilly (London School of Economics)
Heinz-Gerhard Haupt (European University Institute)
Martyn Lyons (University of New South Wales)
Ilaria Porciani (University of Bologna)

Plenary speakers
Jean-François Chanet (Université Lille III)
Laurence Cole (University of Norwich)
Margot Finn (Warwick University)
Andrew Thompson (University of Leeds)
Miguel Cabo Villaverde (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela)
Oliver Zimmer (University of Oxford)

Organising committee
This conference is organised by the Department of Modern and Contemporary history at Ghent University and the Department of history at Antwerp University, in collaboration with the ADVN - Archival and documentation center of Flemish nationalism.

Marnix Beyen (Antwerp University)
Luc Boeva (ADVN)
Thomas Buerman (Ghent University)
Bruno De Wever (Ghent University)
Maarten Van Ginderachter (Ghent University), conference convenor

Please submit a title, a 500 word abstract and a short CV to frombelow@ugent.be before 15 July 2007. For more information on the CFP visit our website http://www.frombelow.ugent.be