What Is a Nation?

Social Integration, Assimilation, and Differences: The Changing Face of 'Nationhood' in the United States

In the context of political science, a nation is defined as a "cultural entity... A politically conscious and mobilized collectivity... is essentially subjective, a sense of social belonging and ultimate loyalty" (Jackson and Jackson, 2002:35). Analyzing the meaning of this definition, nation can be characterized according to the following criteria: (1) culture; (2) social belonging and cohesiveness; and (3) politically conscious. Nation is a cultural entity primarily because it is comprised with people who share the same values, traditions, and beliefs, not to mention produce and utilize man-made artifacts that are distinct within the culture. Secondly, nation is seen as a form of social cohesiveness, since it order for culture to prevail and proliferate, it is essential that there exists unity and understanding among the members of a culture/society. Lastly, and perhaps, the most vital nature of nation is that, it is an entity that is also politically conscious, which suggests that more than a society that has a distinct culture and unified structure, a nation is also dynamic, with its members actively participating and involving themselves with issues relevant and significant to their lives and for the welfare of the whole nation.

When the concept of nation and issue of nationhood and nationalism is discussed, what comes to my mind is Diana Eck's research on the changing landscape of the culture of religion in the United States. Entitled, A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Now Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation" (2001), Eck's discussion of religious diversity in America is a result of a five-year study, analyzing the structure and dynamics embedded in the country's religious culture(s).

Eck's analysis is significant to the issue of nationalism because as a nation, America has been subjected to various changes in its culture: from being a Christian society, it has evolved into being 'hybrid' form of society, where all the world's religions co-exist with each other. This means that in the midst of a dominant Christian community, there also exists Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and other religious communities, each of them distinct from one another.

America as a 'melting pot' of all the world's religions largely influences the structure and dynamics of the nation. American culture is no longer Christian in orientation, but rather hybrid. Furthermore, social cohesiveness is defined not through race/ethnic membership and citizenship alone, but also through religious affiliations. Because religious groups have social unity and are culturally distinct from each other, it becomes imperative for these religious groups to become active members of the society. That is, these groups become 'politicized,' as they advocate for and discuss issues that may have a great significance to the fate not only of the religion itself (as an institution), but among the members of the group, most importantly.