A Contested Nation

Focusing on the evolution of Swiss national identity during the nineteenth century, Oliver Zimmer analyzes the impact of changing domestic and international contexts. He investigates pivotal moments when national concerns emerged, the roles of various social actors in shaping Swiss nationhood, and the selective embrace of certain definitions of identity. The narrative begins in the 1760s with the rise of an early national movement and concludes in the 1890s, marking Switzerland's transformation into a modern nation.