Nations as Cultural Identity

 

Depending on the context and place, ethnic groups and nations may go hand in hand, or they may refer to distinctly different things. The concept of the nation itself is the subject of much debate, but we will begin with a dictionary definition: "… a community of people whose members are bound together by a sense of solidarity rooted in an historic attachment to a homeland and common culture and often language and religion" (Johnston et al. 2000: 532). Like the concept of ethnic groups, a nation is a mental construct: bound together by feelings of community. At root, according to Connor (2004), it is a psychological bond that joins people and simultaneously differentiates them from others, subconsciously. The nature of that bond is elusive. Connor appeals to ethnicity as the tie that binds, but this is a point of debate, as some scholars agree strongly and others disagree just as strongly.

Anthony Smith (1986) also emphasized that nations emerge out of pre-existing ethnic groups. He considered that each ethnic group should have, at least, a myth of common ancestry, shared historical memories, a collective name, and an association with a specific territory. National identity is not always the same as ethnic identity. According to American ethnic geographers the identification with ethnicity alone is not sufficient for a people to consider that place of origin their homeland; there must also be an attitude of loyalty and the willingness to defend that place (Post 2008). In addition they should share a distinctive culture. Smith (1991: 14) considered a nation as "a repository of heritage and repertoire of meanings and usages embodied in values, myths and symbols that serve to unite a group of people with shared memories that differentiate them from outsiders." As you will see, symbols or icons are of particular importance to identity.

 

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