Communications
The term "nation" refers to the political and geographic features of the United States of America, and nationality refers to citizenship within that nation. When citizens of the United States identify as Americans, they are referring to their national identity. They also imply that they live and work in the United States or did for a significant portion of their lives.Most people who identify with the nation were born there, but many people who identify as "Americans" were born outside the country. Likewise, many people who are born in the United States no longer live in the country but may choose to identify themselves as "Americans."
Cultural identity can be completely different from national identity, especially in a country as diverse as the United States. Culture generally refers to one's family of origin and one's ancestry. Culture can comprise such aspects as religion, cuisine, clothing, customs, social norms, values, and beliefs. People of various cultures live within the United States; therefore the term nation and culture are closely connected.
Race is a more difficult topic to define because there are no clear definitions of race. In general, race implies neither nationality nor culture but skin color. Race is distinguished from culture in that white people come from various European cultures, and black people also come from various cultures around the world. However, race, culture, and nationality are linked in several ways, especially within the United States. Americans can identify as being a certain race, a certain culture, and a certain nationality. For example, a woman with dark skin who is born in Honduras and who lives in the United States could say that she is of the African race, Honduran culture, and American nationality. Therefore, co-culture can be used to describe this woman: she can say that she is a Latina-American because she identifies with both cultures.
