Between them, nationalism, terrorism and religion have substantially shaped the modern world.  From the First World War to the 9/11 Wars, from the politics of Empire to the process of decolonization, from the establishment of national states to their rivalries and dissolution, these three phenomena have done much to create what we have inherited in the twenty-first century.  They are also often viewed as destructive forces. But in this lecture Professor Richard English argues that the relationship between them needs to be reconsidered, and that the grand challenges we face in regard to these forces offer room for optimism, and for positive developments if we choose to make them.