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Encyclopedia > National identity

For publications of this name, see also Nation (disambiguation)


A nation is a community of people who live together in an area (or, more broadly, of their descendants who may now be dispersed); and who regard themselves, or are regarded by others, as sharing some common identity, to which certain norms and behavior are usually attributed. The nationals (born of the "nation" in this sense) are distinguished from the rest by common descent, common language, and/or common institutions. During the 19th century the term nation became unavoidably linked with the ideology of nationalism. See Romantic nationalism. In philosophy, it is important to distinguish between two senses of identity, qualitative identity and numerical identity. ... Descent has several meanings: in anthropology: see Kinship and descent in biology: see Common descent in mathematics: see Descent (category theory) the computer game: Descent in typography, the distance that a typeface descends below the baseline in aviation, the part of a flight of an aircraft when the altitude decreases... Institutions are organizations, or mechanisms of social structure, governing the behavior of two or more individuals. ... Quote: -Albert Einstein Nationalism is an ethno-political ideology that sustains the concept of a nation-identity for an exclusive group of people. ... Liberty leading the people, embodying the Romantic view of the French Revolution of 1830; its painter Eugène Delacroix also served as an elected deputy Romantic nationalism (also organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of a...


The term is often used synonymously with ethnos or ethnic group, but the terms aren't exactly the same, because ethnic groups have the same ethnic origin but do not necessarily fall under the same political institutions. An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another, or are so identified by others, on the basis of a boundary that distinguishes them from other groups. ... The concept of ethnic origin is an attempt to classify people, not according to their current ethnicity, but according to where their ancestors came from. ...


In common usage, terms such as nation, country, land and state often appear as near-synonyms, i.e., for a territory under a single sovereign government, or the inhabitants of such a territory, or the government itself; in other words, a de jure or de facto state. A country, a land, or a state, is a geographical area that connotes an independent political entity, with its own government, administration, laws, often a constitution, police, military, tax rules, and population, who are one anothers countrymen. ... Land is sometimes used synonymously with country. ... A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... Synonyms (in ancient Greek syn συν = plus and onoma όνομα = name) are different words with similar or identical meanings. ... A territory is a defined area (including land and waters), usually considered to be a possession of an animal, person, organization, or institution. ... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme authority over a geographic region, group of people, or ones self. ... De jure (in Classical Latin de iure) is an expression that means by law, as contrasted with de facto, which means in fact. The terms de jure and de facto are used like in principle and in practice when one is describing political situations. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...


In a somewhat more strict sense, however, nation (ethnos) denominates a people in contrast to country which denominates a territory, whereas state expresses a legitimised administrative institution. Confusingly, the terms national and international are used as technical terms applying to states, see country. A territory is a defined area (including land and waters), usually considered to be a possession of an animal, person, organization, or institution. ... A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... A country, a land, or a state, is a geographical area that connotes an independent political entity, with its own government, administration, laws, often a constitution, police, military, tax rules, and population, who are one anothers countrymen. ...

Contents

Origins of the term

Liutprand, bishop of Cremona, when confronting the Byzantine emperor in 968 on behalf of his patron Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, boldly declared in his report, "The Land", I answered, "which you say belongs to your empire belongs, as the nationality and language of the people proves, to the kingdom of Italy." (emphasis added)[1] (http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/20A/Luitprand.html) Liutprand (Liudprand, Luitprand) (c. ...


The term derives from Latin natio and originally described the colleagues in a college or students, above all at the University of Paris, who were all born within a pays, spoke the same language and expected to be ruled by their own familiar law. In 1383 and 1384, while studying theology at Paris, Jean Gerson was twice elected procurator for the French nation (i.e. the French-born Francophone students at the University). The Paris division of students into nations was adopted at the University of Prague, where from its opening in 1349 the studium generale was divided among Czech, Bavarian, Saxon and Polish nations. Latin is the language that was originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A college (Latin collegium) can be the name of any group of colleagues; originally it meant a group of people living together under a common set of rules (con-, together + leg-, law). As a consequence members of colleges were originally styled fellows and still are in some places. ... The Sorbonne, Paris, in a 17th century engraving The historic University of Paris (French: Université de Paris) first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganized as 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). ... Jean Charlier de Gerson (December 14, 1363 - July 12, 1429), French scholar and divine, chancellor of the university of Paris, and the ruling spirit in the ecumenical councils of Pisa and Constance, was born at the village of Gerson, in the bishopric of Reims in Champagne. ... The Charles University of Prague (also simply University of Prague; Czech: Univerzita Karlova; Latin: Universitas Carolina) is the oldest and most prestigious Czech university and among the oldest universities in Europe, being founded in 1340s (for the exact year, see below). ...


Nation-states, state-nations and stateless nations

While today many nations appear to co-incide with an independent state (a nation-state), this happenstance occurred comparatively rarely in pre-modern history; the rise of nationalism in the 18th and 19th century saw the idea that each nation deserves its own state gain momentum in Europe. Today too, however, many nations exist without a state, such as the Kurds, Assyrians, Gibraltarian and the native American nations, whereas many states comprise several nations, such as Belgium, United Kingdom and Spain. There are other cases also – until 1922 the Irish nation was wholly within the United Kingdom. Following a move for independence, the country was partitioned into an independent southern state (now the Republic of Ireland), with Northern Ireland remaining in the Union. A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... -1... Quote: -Albert Einstein Nationalism is an ethno-political ideology that sustains the concept of a nation-identity for an exclusive group of people. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Assyrians (ܐܫܘܪܝܶܐ) is the name of a people from Northern Mesopotamia in Middle East, today split in three parts; Turkey, Syria and Iraq. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A true colour image of Ireland, captured by a NASA satellite on January 4, 2003. ... Northern Ireland is an administrative region and one of four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. ...


The idea of a nation remains somewhat vague, in that there is generally no strict definition for exactly who is considered to be a member of any particular nation. Many modern states show a great diversity of cultural behaviours and ethnic backgrounds. England may furnish a classic example: a territory which is not a state, since it has no government of its own, and which has large immigrant populations and diverse cultural behaviour, yet the English are often described as a nation. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion...


This sort of entity is sometimes referred to in political theory as a "state-nation", where citizens form a common identity because of their membership in the state. The key distinction is that a nation-state is a state formed by people with a common identity, while a state-nation is composed of individuals who form a common identity because of their membership in the state.


The United States offers a distinction between nationality and citizenship in its law that only those born in the United States may qualify as candidates for president. Governments of stable nation-states may address such issues by granting nationality to those who have one or both parents already possessing nationality, or who are born within the country in question. When granting nationality to immigrants, authorities sometimes apply language and cultural knowledge tests, but now often ignore ethnicity in order to avoid racism and/or the accusation thereof. Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city but now usually a state), and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ... Nationality is, in English usage, a legal relationship existing between a person and a state. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... An African-American drinks out of a water cooler designated for use by colored patrons in 1939 at a streetcar terminal in Oklahoma City. ...


Groups which are in some way culturally coherent (or who claim to be) are sometimes described as nations, despite not sharing a territory (see diaspora). Examples of such concepts include the Romany "nation (ethnos)" and the Jewish "nation (ethnos)" (especially before the creation of the state of Israel). The term diaspora (Greek διασπορά, a scattering or sowing of seeds) is used (without capitalization) to refer to any people or ethnic population forced or induced to leave their traditional ethnic homelands, being dispersed throughout other parts of the world, and the ensuing developments in their dispersal and culture. ... Romany (or Romani) relates to: The Roma: a people sometimes called (to them, pejoratively) Gypsies. ... The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ...


On a perceived analogy with the "First Nations" who share an aboriginal culture but may be physically dispersed, groups have expanded the definition of a nation to include a group of people with a common interest, as in the case of Red Sox Nation, the unofficial name given to those who were apparently born to be fans of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, or to the "Queer Nation" of gay empowerment. If the concept of "nation" becomes a vogue word, it is likely to become further blurred. First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, Amer-Indians, or Aboriginals, and are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which... Red Sox Nation is a term given to fans of the Boston Red Sox. ... Boston Red Sox American League AAA Pawtucket Red Sox AA Portland Sea Dogs A Wilmington Blue Rocks Greenville Bombers Lowell Spinners R Gulf Coast Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Queer Nation was a gay group founded in March 1990 in New York City, USA by activists from ACT-UP. The founders were four victims of anti-gay violence. ...


Related concepts

Nationality is, in English usage, a legal relationship existing between a person and a state. ... Quote: -Albert Einstein Nationalism is an ethno-political ideology that sustains the concept of a nation-identity for an exclusive group of people. ... -1... A country, a land, or a state, is a geographical area that connotes an independent political entity, with its own government, administration, laws, often a constitution, police, military, tax rules, and population, who are one anothers countrymen. ... A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished in some way from other humans. ... This article is in need of attention. ... In philosophy, it is important to distinguish between two senses of identity, qualitative identity and numerical identity. ...

See also

This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states as well as (inhabited) dependent territories. ... Melungeon is a term used for an ethnically mixed population in the southeastern United States that is of uncertain origin, perhaps a combination of various European, Middle Eastern, African, and Native American strains. ... Micronations – which are sometimes also referred to as cybernations, fantasy countries, model countries, new country projects, and online nations – are entities that resemble independent states, but for the most part exist only on paper, on the Internet, or in the minds of their creators. ... A national emblem symbollically represents a nation. ...

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