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

Introduction

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

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, which can range from a relatively narrow ethnic identity to a broader civic identity that encompasses many ethnic and religious groups. For example, in Canada, there is a 'cultural mosaic' of many different types of people, including immigrants, who make up the nation. 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. Indeed, 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. During 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, such as gender and politics, or race, ethnicity, and politics, or religion and politics. Political scientists are keen on understanding the experiences of 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 intersectionality, or 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"

Comparative political scientists are quite interested in how national identity affects politics. National identity creates a feeling of belonging, and is commonly reflected through symbols. Think about the meaning of the colors and design of a national flag, the choice of a national bird, and the words of a national anthem. These symbols, colors, and/or words can inspire and bind people together.

After losing a war or when new nation-states is formed, it is common for countries to choose new symbols. However, this is not always the case. For example, some 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 as “one nation indivisible” with references to the “flag”.

National identity clearly impacts contemporary politics. A good example includes the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States. Even though a person may have lived 3,000 miles away in California, and did not physically experience the trauma, the shock, dread, and then anger that person felt was still palpable. This event shows how powerful national identity can be, where we can internalize what others have experienced, and have it affect 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 an ideology where devotion and loyalty to one’s state prove more important than other interests, and 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.

Hechter (2001) defines a nation as "highly solitary, territorially concentrated, culturally distinctive groups". Nationalism is a "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 different theories and views on nationalism, one thing is clear: nationalism can mean different things.

• Exclusionary nationalism implies a sense of superiority or exceptionalism and can lead to violence.
• Liberal nationalism 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].

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 can be a force for the creation of a new and independent state. (Separatist movements are 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 “French Canada”. 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 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, “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. Flags, marches, national anthems, and other types of displays are better understood as expressions of nationalism. In a country like the US, citizens do not tend to separate their nation and state. Indeed, we often refer to countries such as the U.S., Poland, and Hungry as nation-states. A nation-state is a state where all or most of the people in that state belong to a single nation. A multinational-state is where a state contains multiple nations, such as Russia and India.

Can one have pride in their nation, but not in their state? The answer is yes. Catalonia 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, including Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque country.

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. For example, 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 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 30 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. 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. For example, the process in the United States is quite lengthy with very specific requirements. Switzerland requires that a person spends 10 years in residency before applying 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. Being a citizen confers certain rights and privileges and involves special duties. For example, many countries, such as Israel, Turkey, and Russia, require young men, and in a few cases young women, to compulsory enlist in their militaries through a draft referred to as conscription. 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.

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, either chose not to become a citizen or were not given the chance, 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.