Allen Lane to publish Gates Foundation advisor's debut

Allen Lane is publishing a book on "global nationalism" by Hassan Damluji, who leads the Middle East team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The book, which will be Damluji's debut, is entitled Future Nation and will explore "the possibility of a truly global nation", looking at how the current political crisis can be turned into a positive force.

Casiana Ionita, editorial director at Penguin Press, acquired world English rights from Chris Wellbelove at Aitken Alexander.

Damluji said: "Nationalism emerged two hundred years ago in places where the rapid exchange of people and ideas laid the foundations for a broader identity that went beyond the village or region. Today these forces apply everywhere, creating the possibility of a truly global nation. But the very success of this idea has strengthened the challenges to it. I hope to show how global identity can be stretched to accommodate the doubters. I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Casiana Ionita and the team at Allen Lane, and to have the opportunity to make this case to a wide audience."

Ionita said: "In the current political climate, it’s very refreshing to read an optimistic take that is well-informed and grounded in years of experience. Hassan Damluji’s brilliant analysis of where we are and where we should be going gave me hope that it is possible to find a way forward."

Allen Lane will publish in autumn 2019.