The author of this study turns his attention to the everyday, less visible forms of nationalism that are deeply ingrained in contemporary consciousness. This form of nationalism, which is neither exotic nor remote, he describes as "banal nationalism".

This book presents a disciplined, qualitative exploration of case study methods by drawing from naturalistic, holistic, ethnographic, phenomenologic and biographic research methods.

Discusses such matters as the generation gap, the student uproar, the New Left, the beats and hippies, the psychedelic movement, rock music, the revival of occultism and mysticism, the protest against our involvement in Vietnam, and the seemingly odd reluctance of the young to buy the affluent technological society, with constructive criticism.