Conclusion

In this lesson you explored definitions of nation and nation state. You explored what a nation is and came to understand that a nation can either be a distinct physical territory with a government or it can be a group of people who share a sense of belonging.

A country must meet these criteria to exist:

  • It is an independent (self-governing) nation. It can make its own decisions freely without outside influence.

  • It exists within clearly defined borders which are internationally recognized. This means that other countries recognize and respect its borders.

  • Its citizens share values and beliefs (such as culture).

You examined examples of both nations and nation states.

Then you looked at nationalism and realized that the word means different things to different people. It is the feelings people have in identifying with their nation. It can be a sense of kinship or common identity. These feelings generally include loyalty for, and pride in, the nation's culture.

Nationalism is also a collective feeling of separateness or uniqueness from other groups of people. This can be expressed in the form of “We are ...” or “We are not ....” such as when Canadians distinguish themselves from people of the United States.

Nationalism can also be inspired by ethnicity, language, culture, religion, spirituality, politics, as well as by geography and a relationship to the land.

You have now been introduced to the exciting times that led to the positive and negatives of nationalism in our present world. Some results (like those of the French Revolution) significantly improved the lives of most people, while others had a negative impact, as we shall see later on!