Explaining nationalism - The contradictions of Ernest Gellner

Ernest Gellner's theory of nationalism is founded on a simplistic and decep tive materialistic reasoning, masking the tension between functionalist pos tulates and historicist inclinations. Various methods are used to resolve t his tension. Initially, idealism is introduced into the body of the analysi s. When this becomes too visible, the nature of the materialism displayed i s discretely modified. Relational materialism - a dynamic articulation betw een relations to the means of production and relations between classes - gi ves way to substantialist materialism - based on a mechanical opposition be tween the means of production and ethno-linguistic attributes. The use of a consistent vocabulary obscures the elision between the two: 'structure' an d 'culture' are alternatively defined in relational or in substantialist te rms. Gellner then returns to relational considerations which make his expla nation all the more unclear.