The nation as a sociological and historical reality: Nations and nationalism in the thought of Andrzej Walicki (1930–2020).

This paper focuses on the contribution of a prominent Polish historian of ideas, the late professor Andrzej Walicki (1930–2020) to the field of nation studies, with a view to (re)introducing his work and ideas to the broader Anglophone scholarly audience. Based on new (or otherwise hitherto not widely discussed) material, some of which has not been published in English, the paper examines Walicki's theoretical ideas on the origins and development of nations. The example of the Polish 'democracy of the gentry', presented by Walicki as an early example of civic nationalism in Europe is explored in some detail. Finally, the paper traces an outline of Andrzej Walicki's theoretical framework of nation formation, highlighting key aspects of his work in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]