7.2: What is National Identity?

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Define National Identity and related terms including Nationalism and Citizenship
• Describe how Citizenship is different from National Identity and Political Identity
• Describe how National Identity and Nationalism impact rules about Citizenship
• Explain how Nationalism fuels separatist movements
• Explain how National Identity is important in the study of comparative politics

Introduction

Is "Political Identity" the Same as "National Identity"?

These two concepts are not the same, but are interrelated. Political identity is how we see ourselves in a political sense: our political interests, affiliations and priorities. National identity is how we see ourselves as members of a nation of people. This can range from a relatively narrow ethnic identity to a broader civic identity that encompasses many ethnic and religious groups. In Canada, for example, there is the concept of a 'cultural mosaic' of many different types of people, including immigrants, who make up the nation of Canada. This is a broad and inclusive definition. On the other end of the spectrum, some South Asian nations are viewed as practicing an exclusionary form of national identity. (Chakraborty, 2014).

Our national identity is not our only identity and it is common for all of us to have multiple identities. An American may have a racial and/or ethnic identity, such as African American in the US or identification with an indigenous group in Mexico, such as the Nahuatl. There are also gender identities, which over time have shifted from a binary understanding to a more nuanced approach. Also included are age, sexual orientation, and occupation. Identities are ever evolving and identity formation takes place even now. In the pandemic, we saw the formation of identities revolving around one’s vaccination status, with people proud to say they either were vaccinated or chose not to vaccinate. Whether or not these new identities will remain depends on how the pandemic ends. More than likely, they will not.

Researchers often study the impact of these identities on politics separately, with various subfields in political science reflecting this development. Examples include Gender and Politics, or Race, Ethnicity and Politics, or Religion and Politics. Political scientists are keen on understanding the experiences of these groups, who have traditionally been left out of mainstream political science discourse. Over time, the discipline has come to understand that identities can interact with each other in ways that affect politics differently. This is referred to as intersectionality, where the interconnectedness of various identities and categories can lead to the marginalization or to the privilege of particular people and/or groups.

More About "National Identity"

Yet even though all the above listed identities are important for politics and can help predict political behavior, comparative political scientists are quite interested in how national identity affects politics. National identity, like other aspects of identity, creates a feeling of belonging. Symbols are commonly used to reflect the values and priorities of a nation’s identity. Think about the meaning of the colors and design of a national flag, or the choice of a national bird, and the words of a national anthem. People identify with those symbols, colors and words. They can inspire and bind people together. When new nation-states form and after losing a war it is common for countries to choose new symbols. However, this is not always the case, at least not entirely. For example, a number of southern states in the US still have imagery reminiscent of the Confederate Battle flag. Germany, on the other hand, changed its flag away from the Nazi flag [back to one used previously] after World War 2. In the United States, the Pledge of Allegiance was adopted and popularized after the Civil War as a means to unite the country “one nation indivisible” with references to the “flag”.

National identity clearly impacts contemporary politics. It has become a key aspect of one’s core identity and the sense of attachment one has for their nation or country can help us better understand certain behaviors. A good example includes the September 11th terrorist attacks. On that day, Americans from every part of the country felt something terrible. Even though a person may have lived 3,000 miles away in California, and did not physically experience the trauma of this event, the shock, dread, and then anger that person felt was still palpable. Logically, one can say why should events that did not personally happen to me matter. However, this is how powerful national identity can be, where we can internalize what others have experienced and have us affect us in our political behavior. National identity implies a "principle of identity based on impersonal ties, remote ties, vicarious ties", that are arbitrated through common symbols and forms of communication (Hass, 1986).

What is Nationalism?

Nationalism is defined as an ideology where devotion and loyalty to one’s state proves more important than other interests. It is the natural development of having a national identity. The stronger the national identity, the stronger the sense of nationalism. Hass (1986) says that nationalism is “the convergence of territorial and political loyalty irrespective of competing foci of affiliation”. By this Hass means that a national identity may matter more than one’s other identities.

Another analysis comes from Hechter who distinguishes between 'nation' and 'nationalism'. Hechter (2001) defines a nation as "highly solitary, territorially concentrated, culturally distinctive groups". He defines nationalism as "collective action designed to render the boundaries of the nation congruent with those of its governance unit." In other words, when a nation of people has a strong sense of nationalism they work to ensure the boundaries of the state [governance unit] match the geographic boundaries of the nation. Hechter identifies five types of nationalism: state-building nationalism, peripheral nationalism, irredentist nationalism, unification nationalism, and patriotism.

While there are differing theories and views on nationalism, one thing is clear: nationalism can mean different things. Liberal nationalism, for example, is the idea that every group of people with a clear national identity should have their own state; their own country to call their own. This sort of nationalism can lead to independence movements [or even develop during and after independence movements motivated by other factors]. However, nationalism can also imply a sense of superiority or exceptionalism. This is referred to as exclusionary nationalism and can lead to violence. O’Neil and Fields (2020) note that nationalism can be a powerful substitute for democracy. Because it is hierarchical and inclusive, authoritarian states can weaponize nationalism.

Nationalism, as mentioned above, can be a force for the creation of a new and independent state. Examples of nationalism being the inspiration for separatist movements can be seen across the globe. Separatist movements are defined as attempts by members of a group of people who seek to establish their own government, separate from the country they reside in. In Canada, there have been calls for secession by Quebec, also thought of as the “French Canada”. Supporters of this effort are represented by a political party called Bloc Quebecois. According to the New York Times, about 30% of Quebec citizens support secession. Far more, however, are focused on maintaining the values, language and identity of French Canada.

Another example of a separatist movement fueled by nationalism is Catalonia, a wealthy area of Spain that has a history of special autonomy. Violence and prison terms for separatist politicians have reinvigorated the debate. Similar to Quebec:

Catalonia has its own language and distinctive traditions, and a population nearly as big as Switzerland's (7.5 million). It is one of Spain's wealthiest regions, making up 16% of the national population and accounting for almost 19% of Spanish GDP. (BBC)

While separatist movements can be centralizing forces (forces that bring people together), they also can be decentralizing and damaging. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, as quoted by the BBC, “Spain risked being downgraded from a 'full democracy' to a 'flawed' one over its handling of the situation.” In this case, it was not the separatist movement itself as much as the Spanish government’s reaction to it.

Is Nationalism the Same as Patriotism?

Patriotism is best described as pride in one’s state. Often when one thinks of patriotism, thoughts turn to flags, marches, national anthems and other types of displays. Yet these displays could be better understood as expressions of nationalism. In a country like the US, Americans tend not to separate between their nation and state. Indeed, we often refer to countries such as the U.S. as a nation-state. A nation-state is a state where all or most of the people in that state belong to a single nation. Other examples of nation-states include the central European countries of Poland and Hungary. A multinational-state will be where a state contains multiple nations. Examples of multinational states include Russia and India.

Given these definitions, can one have pride in their nation, but not in their state? The answer is yes. Catalonia, discussed above, is a great example. Catalonians have pride in their nation, but generally not in their state, which is Spain. Being a citizen of a country does not automatically make that person patriotic. Ethnic, racial, and/or religious minorities that have been oppressed or have not been incorporated into a country’s political system will often struggle with outward expressions of patriotism. Often, they will develop their own sense of nationalism. Countries such as Spain have several nations. This includes the aforementioned Catalonia, but also Galicia and the Basque country.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Holding hands for Catalan Independence. (Source: Catalan independence protest in Times Square, NYC by Liz Castro via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

One form of nationalism described by Hechter is irredentist nationalism. Irredentism is when one state wants a territory that previously belonged to it to rejoin. This is interesting in light of recent events in Ukraine. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, sees Ukraine not as a sovereign state, but rather as a piece of the former Soviet Union that should be returned to the fold.

What is Citizenship?

Citizenship is different from national or political identity because it implies a legal status rather than a feeling of belonging. A person can feel a sense of belonging to a nation without being a citizen of that country. Roughly thirty countries grant citizenship at birth (Serhan and Friedman, 2018). Almost all countries have a process whereby a person can become a citizen even if they are not born a citizen. Being able to -- as well as choosing to -- become a citizen are influenced by not just the laws and procedures within a country, but also the ‘human capital’ and ‘social capital’ of the immigrants (Huddleston, 2020). In other words, not all immigrants have the same ability or interest in becoming naturalized citizens. This is true across different immigrant groups and different destination countries. Citizenship typically brings certain legal rights and privileges such as voting and holding elected office, as well as the right to be issued a passport.

Some countries make it quite difficult to become a citizen or a legal resident. The process in the United States, for example, is quite lengthy with very specific requirements - at least for most people. The United States provides an alternative path for those with money, known as the EB-5 or ‘investor visa’. Switzerland also makes it difficult with a 10-year residency requirement to be eligible to apply for citizenship. On the other end of the spectrum, the Dominican Republic allows legal permanent residency if you can demonstrate a monthly income of $2,000 (or just $1,500 if you are retired). Yet, becoming a citizen of the Dominican Republic is very expensive. Ireland also makes it quite easy - especially if you can show Irish ancestry.

How Is Patriotism Related to Citizenship?

Citizenship is closely tied to patriotism, which is described above. This is because even though being a citizen confers certain rights and privileges, it also involves special duties. For example, many countries have an enrollment program that requires young men, and in a few cases young women, to compulsory enlist in their militaries through a draft referred to as conscription. This is not the case in most Western countries, such as the US or in most European Union countries. But this is the case in countries such as Israel, Turkey and Russia. There are over 100 nationalities in the Russian Federation. Regardless if they are ethnic Tartar, the Yupik of Siberia or other smaller minorities, all male citizens between the ages of 18-27 are required to serve 12 months.

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Russian guards in uniform. (Source: Russian Guard by Unknown Author via pxhere.com is licensed under CC0)

Interestingly, one does not need to have legal citizenship to have a sense of patriotism. Any person can see the country that they live in as their homeland, and develop a strong sense of affection. There are quite a few examples of people having moved to another country, and either chose not to become a citizen or were not given the chance to, and still strongly supported the state they resided in. Patriotism entails a sense of obligation to care for the country of residence. While citizenship is directly correlated with patriotism, it is not causal.