Radical Left Parties and National Identity in Spain, Italy and Portugal: Rejecting or Reclaiming the Nation

This book investigates how the radical left navigates the terrain of nationalism. Traversing Spain, Italy and Portugal, this in-depth study examines how radical left parties either embrace, rebuff or reshape nationalistic sentiments. From Spain’s Podemos grappling with Franco’s legacy, Italy’s radical left switching from anti-fascist patriotism to cosmopolitanism, to Portugal’s revolutionary echoes in left-leaning banal nationalism, the book offers comprehensive insight into the often-overlooked relationship between radical left politics and national identity. Through discourse analysis, interviews and participant observation, it delves into the reasons behind certain political positions and how they manifest discursively. A must-read for those eager to decipher the crossroads of national identity and left-wing politics in contemporary Europe.

Jacopo Custodi is a Research Fellow in Political Science at Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, Italy. He has authored numerous scholarly essays and scientific articles that explore the intricate relationship between the left and national identity.