The case against nationalism

Nationalism is a newly resurgent political ideology sweeping most developed countries. However, nationalism is a poorly defined political proto-ideology with a deservedly bad reputation. Some nationalist governments have committed almost unimaginable crimes or started world wars, others have merely increased the size and scope of government, and still others have been relatively benign. Alex Nowrasteh will define common strains of nationalism and what they mean for economic policy, personal and political liberty, and the future of classical liberalism. He will also discuss the intersection of nationalism and immigration, focusing on the United States.

Alex Nowrasteh is the vice president of economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in the United States where he specializes in American immigration policy. His popular publications have been published in most major American newspapers and he regularly appears on television and the radio to debate these issues. Nowrasteh’s peer‐​reviewed academic publications have appeared in the World Bank Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Public Choice, Kyklos, the Journal of Bioeconomics, and others. He has also contributed numerous book chapters to various edited volumes. Nowrasteh is the coauthor (with Benjamin Powell) of the book Wretched Refuse? The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions (Cambridge University Press, 2020), which is the first book on how economic institutions in receiving countries adjust to immigration. Wretched Refuse? received “The Best Book in Austrian Economics” award from the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics in 2022. He is a native of Southern California and received a BA in economics from George Mason University and an MSc in economic history from the London School of Economics.