1. Nationalism and
Personal Identity

2. NATION
 The term „nation‟ is often equated with the term
„country‟; however, some believe it is much more
than that
 A definition: a group of people with a common
origin and shared language, culture and
customs; e.g. Cree, Scots
 Desire to control own destiny and gain
sovereignty over a geographical territory that is a
fundamental part of that group‟s history (cultural
homeland)
 According to some definitions, ethnic groups that
do not have a cultural homeland do not
constitute a nation

3. What is a “Nation”? Four perspectives
 See page 22

4. NATION
 Catalans: Nation or Ethnic group?

5. The Jewish NATION
 Members of a nation recognize a
common identity
 Do not necessarily reside
within a common geographical
area.
 For example, the Jewish nation
refers to the Jewish culture and
faith throughout the world,
regardless of their place of origin

6. STATE  Definition: An independent political
unit with territorial boundaries that
are recognized by other states.
 A sovereign area in the world,
often synonymous with country
e.g. Canada, Republic of Ireland
 Nations are "people" or more
precisely "an imagined
community,"
 States are political constructions
with well-defined borders that are
recognized by other states and
strong institutions (government)
to manage internal affairs.

7. Key Definition: Sovereignty
 A nation or a state with “sovereignty” has
the political power to control its own affairs
 Influence or interference from outside the
nation or state limits sovereignty

8. The Nation State of Israel
 Gained
independence in
1948
 Israel gained
control of the
Gaza Strip, the
West Bank, and
the Golan Heights
in 1967

9. RELATED TERMS
 Nation-state
 when a particular sovereign
geographic area is occupied
by one nation
 In a globalized world, few
“true” nation-states exist
today (Japan & Iceland are
two close examples)
 IMPORTANT NOTE: The
term nation-state can also be
used to mean ‘country’

10. RELATED TERMS
 Multi-national state
 when a particular sovereign
geographic area is occupied
by more than one nation
 IE) Canada (English, French,
First Nations, others)
 United Kingdom (English,
Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish,
etc. ethnic nations)

11. RELATED TERMS
 Civic Nation: People who share certain political beliefs
and values (see page 30)
 Citizens are equal – have the same rights and
responsibilities
 Differences in language, ethnicity, culture and
religion do not matter
 Most have a constitution: legal document that lays
out basic rules of society and contains the cores laws
that define the nation and how it will be governed
 Canada – a civic nation?

12. The Making of a Civic Nation
 The concept of civic nationalism
combines two elements: citizens
and their shared values and beliefs.
 A civic nation evolves from the
citizens willingness to live together
according to shared principals and
values.

13. Nation and Identity
 an individual has several aspects of identity:
personal/individual identity, collective identity, and national
identity
 National identity is a form of collective identity
 The extent to which a person’s nation or country shapes
his/her identity will vary from person to person
 How important is your nation or country in defining your
identity?

14. Sources of Personal Pride
 What are other personal, local, national and
international events that are sources of personal pride?
 Identify the 10 events from the list that are personally
the most significant. Consider the events that provide
you with the greatest attachment or allegiance or the
greatest sense of pride.
 Rank your chosen 10 events in order in a top ten list.

15. Sources of Personal Pride
(examples)
 Someone in your school is drafted by an NHL team
 A Canadian wins an Olympic gold medal
 An Albertan wins an Olympic gold medal
 A Ukrainian-Canadian wins an Olympic gold medal
 Italy wins the World Cup in Soccer
 Aboriginal musicians are honoured with international awards
 Someone in your community receives a national award
 The French language is judged to be one of the most romantic and
expressive languages
 A Haitian-born refugee is appointed Governor General

16. Classify the Events
 Sort your top 10 events into three categories:
 National focus: based on common heritage, language or customs with
a group
 State focus – based on geographic or civic affiliation
 Non-national focus – based on local connections, personal preferences
 Assess the relative importance of each category based on:
 The number of events in each category
 The significance that the events have for you in terms of personal
allegiance or sense of pride

17. Classify the Events
 Assign an overall percentage of
influence to each of the three
categories of events (the total will be
100%)
 For example, national events may
represent approximately one-half
(50%) of your mix and the other two
categories may contribute equally
(25%)
 Create a visual representation of the
percentages

18. Discussion
 Why do you think your identity mix has the focus that it does?
(e.g. Why is it heavily state-focused or nation-focused?)
 What differences do you notice in your identity mix and those
of others in the class? What factors might explain those
differences?
 What are the advantages and disadvantages of various
emphases? (e.g. What are the benefits and shortcomings of a
population with a heavily state-focused identity?) Consider
the advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of an
ordinary citizen and as the leader of a country.