Nationalist group (not large) kept in touch (7)
I believe the answer is:
patriot
'nationalist' is the definition.
('patriot' can be a synonym of 'nationalist')
'group not large kept in touch' is the wordplay.
'group not large' becomes 'trio' (term for a small group).
'kept in' indicates putting letters inside.
'touch' becomes 'pat' (pat is a kind of touch).
'trio' put within 'pat' is 'PATRIOT'.
(Other definitions for patriot that I've seen before include "One supporting country" , "Loyalist" , "Devotee of their country" , "No traitor" , "A lover of fatherland" .)