Category: National Identity

Popular music has always been one of the central defining elements involved in forging various Caribbean national and cultural identities because of its expansion and exposure of different identities cultures and music coming together forming new genres from similar areas and the talented artists behind it all, expressing themselves through the rhythms in a matter of decades.

In order to understand the different fusions of music and how it all came about, understanding the idea of creolization is essential. Music has always been important it all started when slavery had just begun, slaves did not have anything to bear their sufferings but the rhythms inside them. Puerto Rico like Cuba was colonized by Spaniards and Africans were then sent to work in the plantations. This occurrence caused many different genres, music, culture, and even language which then became Creolization. This is where it all bloomed as Cuba started making these different dances, beats, and music. Not only the Spaniards but the Africans had music to sing their sorrows and pridefulness. This became an ongoing pattern as groups of people throughout time kept migrating from one place to another causing expansion in culture, identity, and music. . Music played a vital role in providing freedom, pride, and a voice overall.

In the 1960s after the Revolution in Cuba, a lot of people started leaving the island in waves due to the new upcoming government system being placed. Fear is what drove them, some families sent their children away due to fear of communism and the new ideology under Fidel Castro. Cuban music has already been fled across America because of the government restrictions, and talented influences like Celia Cruz had left. In Cuba, the son is one of the first rhythms that have existed which is also a fusion of African and Spanish rhythms. The songs usually contain themes like patriotism and love because artists at this time were very political due to their government, they felt free to express themselves through music. By this time the genre rumba and son were widely popular, The son brought alive the Spanish guitar and is traditionally played with congas, tres, bongos, and claves (wooden sticks). Its distinctive pattern would be the anticipated bass implemented in its rhythm. The radio broadcasts started to get more exposure, especially in West Africa and Congos and this genre called Congolese rumba appeared. Also, the bomba-son hybrid reached the talented Puerto Ricans in New York. Another genre greatly Cuba has greatly invented is the Rumba (synonym for a party) it began getting played in ballrooms as well. There specifically three styles that originated from rumba which are guaguanco, Zumba, and Columbia. Most of these performances include participation between everyone, chants, hand clapping, back-and-forth responses, and tons of body language. It’s important to note how the instruments used in rumba and in most Cuban music are a good mixture of African and Spanish. Instruments used like the claves and the tumbadores(congas) are from Africans and it is a vital instruments for rumba.

In the 1980s Cuban music is still alive, the son is a genre that still remained popular and most artists had a blend of son in their music and so forth more genres came along and elements were added into sons such as hip hop and funk. There have been bands over the years who have sparked the revival of the son genre bands such as Sierra Maestra and Septeto National. Genres like Nueva Trova have arrived and it was mainly about progressive politics and it mentions the Revolution often.

In the 1990s Cuban music expanded all over, internationally and the son is still alive but it’s just mainly fused with other elements at this point. Its Rumba style of dancing and music still lives on but it is modernized and it is more known to be performed in ballrooms.

In the 1960s Puerto Rico, there were waves of people migrating towards the Midwest. But it’s important to note the relationship between Cuba and Puerto Rico and how they were both colonized by Spain until 1898. Over time Puerto Rican people were greatly influenced by Cuba.

This new identification of jibaros was invented due to the mixtures and is an example of creole. The jibaros for a while have been considered the “traditional Puerto Rican identity” (70, Manuel). A jibaro is defining a true hard-working Puerto Rican who works on the soil. Eventually throughout time jibaros and their music died out because the popularity was not high but then some migrants brought it back alive adding Cuban rhythms to it.

For Puerto Rico around this time, one of the most influential genres was the bomba, seis, plena, and aguinaldo. The bomba’s roots are from West Africa when slaves were brought on plantations these were the only ways they can express themselves and tell stories of their heritage. One of the most distinctive things about bomba is the relationship between the drummer and the dancer which are essential to the bomba because most of its energy is cultivated in the beat of the drum and the tempo of the dancer and they utilize this music to help them with their identity through the lyrics in these songs because it often conveys anger, political, and spiritual expression. This music traveled and evolved through slave plantations to different Caribbean regions. Its instrumentation contains this one essential guitar called el subidor. Aguinaldo is very different from bomba because they are in the form of groups and often move from house to house, singing and dancing really freely. Plena is another genre that contains Spanish, African, and also Caribbean influences. Contains more of a narrative or news reporting, especially when it comes to the lyrics of songs, either comedic or the telling of the events that were happening at that time or day.

Puerto Rican music songs then traveled up to New York, which became a huge change for music at this time. The culture of “Newyorican” culture. was introduced. Waves of Puerto Ricans were flying out to New York so eager for a new start around the 60s, people in Puerto Rico had a rough time due to poverty. Tons of them had settled in East Harlem, “some 2.8 million people of Puerto Rican descent now live on the mainland, as opposed to 3.9 million living on the island” (80, Manuel) just says a lot about the living conditions in Puerto Rico.

The cuatro instrument was and still is the ultimate icon instrument for Puerto Ricans, its instrumentations were first used by Taino Natives and runaway slaves from the 18th century.

It is important to note that most of Puerto Rico’s musical influence came from Cuba. Their relation to each other is not quite different, it just has a different name. Puerto Rico’s seis and danza similar to Cuba’s guajiro and Danzon. Reggaeton emerged around …. But its major influence came from Panama as it was the creator.

In the 60’s New York, the fluctuation of Puerto Ricans and jibaros emerged, as noted. It was not easy, being a non-English speaking immigrant at this time was very stressful and sometimes traumatic. They were exploited, harassed, and treated like fools. They were often discriminated against, which only affected how prideful they took in their identity. But they sought through that with time, artists took the opportunities in New York and their studios. Afterward, Latin bands formed which included different heritages like Mexican, Anglo, and black. The Newyoricans of this time were very young and continued to bring with them this wonderful culture. Though they did face some discrimination between other classes above them and other races they still continued and fought for reasonable treatment.

As time passed it was expected for Newyoricans to be shamed of their culture or their language but that did not happen. Music is what kept them going, singers like Tito Puentes or even Johnny Pacheco did not give in. Cuban music was still brought again but in a more modernized manner. The Cuban’s son and rumba rhythms were being played by Newyorican drummers and became their symbol which they felt proud to associate with because it gave them a sense of identity through instruments. One of the biggest genres that really united Cuban and African and Puerto Rican music together was Salsa. By the 70s and ’80s, it emerged into this era of mixtures, even within instruments, the use of Puerto Rican timbales and guirpo while also using the claves which are from Africans and using similar Cuban rhythms like the mambo which got its influence from danzon. The term “salsero” was used by salsa artists to define themselves in the mix and one of the known ones would be Tito Nieves.

Salsa songs at this time dealt with a lot of love but others dealt with the lifestyle of el barrio(violence as well), and the rest addressed political messages. Throughout time it has gained great popularity, salsa leaned more toward romanticism which raised the female teen audience to listen. Salsa then got international, that’s thanks to bands that introduced the beautiful plena and bomba from Puerto Rico. It is also argued that it is the modernized version of Cuban son, because of the similar patterns, salsa is just more electrified. New York is still one of the places where salsa is getting played and danced like never before and even in the “cuchifrito circuit”.

Spain has had a tumultuous history when it comes to national identity, especially during the period of films we have studied on this course. Ranging between the 1940s and 1980s Spain went through major social changes, the latter being emblematic of these transitions and the way national identity was portrayed. With each film and their respective director depicting national identity through their own lens, whether it being critical or not, there are many recurring themes. Many can be closely tied with the idea of ‘españolada’, which I will be exploring within this essay. The film that I have chosen to examine in context of Spanish national identity is Luis Buñels 1962 Viridiana. Released twenty two years into Franco dictatorship, it was unsurprisingly banned within Spain, receiving an abundance of criticism due its uncatholic nature. It was even deemed as ‘blasphemous’ by the official newspaper of the Vatican. Religion is one of the dominant themes within Viridiana, along with social hierarchy, Buñuel creatively uses fetishism and voyeurism to express his dissatisfaction with society in Francoist Spain. He had a cynical outlook on humanity which can be rooted with his use of surrealism, a movement that explored ‘those feelings that are deeply embedded in the unconscious but which the majority of individuals are unwilling to acknowledge. Throughout this essay, I deal with how Buñuel constructed national identity by serving criticism on religion and the bourgeoisie two aspects that build towards national identity.

The term ‘españolada’ was coined during the Franco period as an approach to how Spain was represented in film ‘españolada is a pejorative word that refers to a clichéd idea of Spanish culture, centred around flamenco dancing, rural peculiarities, bullfighting and copla singers’ in turn stereotyping the Spanish characters and culture. Creating an exaggerated idea of Spanish national identity aiding Franco’s political agenda. Catholicism became synonymous with ‘españolada’ for this exact reason, playing an important role in the government’s plan to create a united and harmonious country. People looked toward the church for guidance to being a ‘good’ Spanish man or woman. Needless to say, Catholicism’s role in Spanish society reflected in the way national identity is constructed in film.

In Viridiana, Buñels is overtly critical of Catholicism. He was openly against the Catholic Church, and through his work he tried to unmask the fruitlessness of Christianity, but rather steers his work towards probing ‘[…] sexual anxieties and frustration. Viridiana, the pious nun being the link between the church and suppressed sexual desires. Throughout the film Buñuel explores the idea of religious fetishism challenging the viewers with one of the most dominant aspect of Spanish national identity. For example, in a few scenes we see Viridiana with religious artefacts such as the large wooden crucifix and the crown of thrones, these religious props are fetishes as they are used beyond their practical means. Furthermore, we see Viridiana faint when gripping the skip rope being used as a belt by the beggar that was trying to rape the novice nun, highlighting the ‘deep-seated sexual fear and inhibition’ that would have formed during her time in the monastery. The director uses cinematic techniques when fetishizing the protagonist such as slow pan shots and the focus on repeating motifs (legs and stokings), by doing this Buñuel is rejecting the conventional ideals of society that where both thrust upon him during his upbringing in catholic Spain and its education system, as well as, for Viridiana and her time in the monastery. Buñuel’s own sexual reservations; like Viridiana, were tied by the shackles imposed on them by the Catholic Church. He claimed that he did not plan on even making such a film but rather it ‘[…] grew out of certain erotic and religious obsessions of his childhood’. Therefore, as an adult with a grasp of reality the illusion of religion being fruitful shattered, which he exemplifies within Viridiana. Piety does not always lead to a positive outcome, drawing a new spin on how national identity should be reconsiders and perhaps not be linked so closely with national identity. Viridiana’s altruistic intentions of taking in a group of beggars, is thrown back in her face; ‘People, and the world, cannot be changed, and acceptance of things as they are is the only course’.

Another predominate theme within the film that Buñuel scrutinizes is the Spanish bourgeoisie, providing the viewer with a harsh, and arguably necessary, portrayal of unjust societal structure that he believed to be frustrating part of the Spanish national identity. The director once said, ‘I am against conventional morality’ where for him middle-class morality was immoral. Which is evident throughout the unfolding of Viridiana. The main course of events take place on the estate of Viridianas uncle, a man belonging to the bourgeoisie. The house and all that is it destroyed by the group of beggars that the nun takes in. The film gives us a rough understanding of the societal microcosm of Spain in the fifties and sixties, Buñuel representing the divide between the peasants, the aristocracy and the church. Successfully disrupting the ‘polite society’ seen within the film, and reconstructing the national identity. An emblematic moment of Buñuels criticism of the structural nature of the bourgeoisie, is when Jorje, the new owner of the estate, invite the housekeeper to eat at the table with him. Unintentionally, for Buñuel this moment has major significance ‘[…] foreshadow the future downfall of traditional hierarchies’, something that Spain would experience in the near future due to the collapse of Francoism after Franco’s death. Buñuel criticism of the societal hierarchy is thus forcing the spectator to question how society is run. Furthermore, the director intended the audience to explore their own sexual desires whether they conscious of this or not, constructing a new sense of what he believed should be an important aspect of national identity, unashamed by bourgeoisie conventions. A scene that stands out is when Viridiana milks a cow in the barn, the phallic action of pulling on the teat is suggestive to the audience, how we read the scene tells us something about ourselves, how our mind jumps to something so sexual when is in fact an innocent action. Viridiana’s discomfort suggests the same thoughts went through her own mind. Buñuel makes his audience face up to their own sexual desires and the reality that we still have ‘unconventional’ thoughts despite what conventional bourgeoisie society attempts to hide.

To conclude, in Buñels Viridiana he challenging the notion of national identity by debunking major aspects of Spanish society rather than constructing a new outlook on Spanish identity.

Bibliography

1. Edwards, Gwynne, A Companion to Luis Buñuel (Woodbridge: Tamesis 2005)
2. Edwards, Gwynne, The Discreet Art of Luis Buñuel, 2 edn (London: Marion Boyars Publishers 1997)
3. Malcolm, Derek, ‘Luis Buñuel: Viridiana’, The Guardian, 1 April 1999
4. Martin-Márquez, Susan, ‘Coloniality And The Trappings Of Modernity In ‘Viridiana’ And ‘The Hand In The Trap”, Cinema Journal, 51 (2011), 96-114 [Accessed 22 January 2019]
5. Mellen, Joan, The World of Luis Buñuel: Essays in Criticism, ed. by Joan Mellen (New York: Oxford University Press 1978)
6. Mira, Alberto, ‘Españolada’, Academic Dictionaries And Encyclopedias, 2019 [Accessed 26 January 2019]
7. Riera, Emilio G., The World of Luis Buñuel: Essays in Criticism, ed. by Joan Mellen (New York: Oxford University Press 1978)
8. Vincent, Mary, ‘Spain’ in Political Catholicism in Europe, 1918-1965, ed. by Tom Buchanan and Martin Conway (Oxford Scholarship Online: October 2011), pp. 97-128

In order to fully answer this question there has to be a clear definition for what a nation is, this can be said to be a group of people that have a common history which is shared between them therefore they are a community of people, (Quintana & Mckown, 2007) meaning that these people share an identity through that history. Furthermore, another definition which is crucial to this argument is what a state is, this is because the two terms are inherently intertwined with each other, it can be s aid to be a “sovereign political entity in which a government uses a set of institutions to exercise an administrative monopoly over a territory” (Tartakovsky 2011, p. 1). Therefore, according to these definitions, assuming that they are the accepted definitions, it means that there could be a state that does not have a national identity which could be called a stateless nation and the opposite would be a nation-state. Theses definitions of nation and state appear to be the most common throughout academic literature meaning that these sources are beneficial to the question of national identity in today’s world as it provides a basis as to what national identity is, however to answer this question there has to be examples of either side of the argument.

One clear place in which there is a nationless state is Canada, this is a more of a historical example due to the fact that there is a clear divide within the state between nations which dates back to the French and Anglo divide. Moreover, there was an isolation from the French Canadians to the rest of North America with them taking lower paid jobs and not being totally integrated with the rest of the state (Keating, 1996). Furthermore, the differences can be seen from when the Canadians refused British conscription during the First World War further showing how this source is correct in it’s assumption that there is a divide between the Canadians, effectively making it a nation within a nation. Although this may have been the case thee source fails to directly link to the question as the evidence given is all very historic, mainly due to the book being written in 1996 therefore it fails to show that in recent history there has been a much closer relationship between French and English speaking Canadians. Even though it may be more historic it proves very useful as it shows a great deal of links to modern national identity, as it shows isolation of a smaller ethnic group which can be seen in many western countries through globalisation.

One such example of a loss of national identity can be seen through the European Union, which originally began as greater integration of economies has become more so a political integration through the free movement of people. This has arguably caused a loss of national identity, as there is a movement of people from Eastern European countries to the west. However, this can be shown to not be true as the majority of people fell as though the EU is not a threat to either the national identity or the culture of member states (McLaren 2004) this shows how despite the fact that there is a movement of people within the EU national identity is still kept. Therefore, this would assume that national identity does remain in the modern world however the journal article was written in 2004 and since then there has been an increase in migration levels within the EU, therefore it may be that views have changed since then causing greater contempt with the EU. Moreover, the disdain felt for the EU could be shown through Brexit which demonstrates a clear movement away from integration, and rather shows a clear example of a country wishing to keep their national identity.

Introduction

South Korea and Japan has been a cooperative partner in the liberal democracy and the value of market economy, and they have been conflict relations due to the historical problem, which is about colonization. As this situation is happening continuously, it has been a relationship which they discuss cooperation rationally but confront emotionally. Due to the situation, there has been a lot of research regarding to it, but it has not concluded. The biggest problem with Japan and South Korea is the recognition about apologies. Japan are saying that they have apologized all the historical problems, but South Korea kept telling them to apologize. Japan is thinking South Korea as ‘a country which kept asking them to apologize’, which South Korea consider Japan as ‘a country with no apology’. As the recognitions are considered in both countries, it has been difficult for them to understand each other and solve historical problem. Instead of just facing the problem, the writer decided to approach the problem regarding the identity of each countries.

Definition of Identity

It is considered to be hard to find the standardized definition of the term identity. It has been talked about identity in many areas like race, ethnicity, gender, country, and so on, but there has been no clear concept with it. However, when we say identity, we talk about particular attitude, expected actions, and distinctive features socially. When we say national identity, it talks about collective identity with historical territory, common myth, historical memory, pop culture, and legal rights and duties. Moreover, it talks about patriotism between citizens and country, and the content which regulates citizen’s standard and range. To distinguish between citizens in one country and citizens in the other countries, social and psychological bond has been the basis. Moreover, identity has been one of the main factors that has formed the relationships between countries, world order, and one country’s status inside the world order. For example, American exceptionalism which define that America’s own trait or characteristic is different with Europe is deeply related to Americans’ identity and United States (US) foreign policy. Also, before, Soviet Russia reflected to a foreign policy that they are the origin of socialism revolution as identity (Park, 2011).

Identity has strengthened the union power, but if it becomes too exclusive with other countries, there is a possibility to show exclusive nationalism. This form of nationalism has been used to recognize the other countries as enemy when the countries are seen to disrupt national interest or profit, and to promote cohesion in political support. The differences in systems based on Cold War ideologies based on proper values were included as an important element that defined the identity of countries belonging to different camps, and we can find examples of conflicts between different camps (Kim, 2018). Therefore, understanding of national identity can be means to explain the particular country’s relationship, and can be discussed about the relationship between countries based on the national identity.

Japan’s National Identity

Japan has been one of the countries that has been a lot of researches about national identity themselves, and from other countries. There has been a lot of researches about Japan, Japanese, Japan cultures, and those researches are called as ‘Nihonron’, ‘Nihonjinron’, ‘Nihonbungakuron’, and it has become one of the research fields which talks about Japanese identity.

Hiroshi Minami, who was a politician, separated Japan as 5 eras; Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Occupation, and Modern. He talked about Japanese national character in each era. He said that there has been changes when there was a big social change, especially when there was a problem about international problem with foreign countries. Particularly, in Meiji era, there has been there has been Japanese superiority which they pursue for modernization, while overtaking the Western Empire, which was told to be an empire which has been advanced. There also has been Japanese inferiority, which they reflect themselves that they compare themselves with Western countries. In Taisho era, there has been internationalism which they understand themselves objectively. In Showa era, there has been discussions about Japan’s culture and natural characteristics, Fascism Nihonjinron in the middle of World War II, and self-reflection after losing the war, and new national character has been shown. There are a lot of other People who tried to organize the broad Nihonjinron, like Nakane Chie, who tried to analyze Japan’s social structure, and make new theory, Doi Takeo, who tried to understand Japanese psychological structure through Amae, and so on.

Unlike the researches in social and cultural area, which they tried to analyze Japanese, Japanese culture, and Japanese society, Political and diplomatic areas of research were focused on analyzing Status and Roles of Japan. It was focused on researching about forming a frame about international relations and diplomatic strategy. Among them, through researches about the recognition of international order and Pan-Asianism of Japan’s political elites in post-cold war era, Japan was able to analyze Japan politics’ conservatism in various perspectives and formed one discussion.

Richard Samuels explained Japan’s plan of national strategy discussion about post-cold war international structure change by separating Normal Nationalists, Middle-Power Internationalist, Neoautomists, and Pacifist. Normal Nationalists are supporting America-Japan ally, so that Japan will have a great power. Also, they want Japan to be in the same international position with America by stepping the normal steeps. Middle-Power Internationalist, on the other hand, insist that Japan’s international contribution should be in prosperity first, instead of applying military power. People who are Neoautomists insist that they need to have distance with America, and make Japan be able to use their strength or power in all areas. Lastly, Pacifists think that prosperity is the most important value, and pursue status or positions in international society through prosperity.

There has been the same research in South Korea by Park (2016), Park (2007), and so on. Park (2007) insisted that the argument about the theory of Japan has been divided due to the explanation of prewar days, and opinions toward the Japan’s role according to the rise of the national power. To put in more details, this includes the peaceful and realistic lines according to whether Japan’s national activities are included in its national activities, and the nationalists and internationalist lines due to conflicts of national interests and international contribution. First, normal nationalists insist that Japan should seek for the international contribution in the aspect of growth of national power and military power. Moreover, while rising the international status of Japan, Japan should do international cooperation including human contribution. Also, to make a foundation to act together with other countries while growing the national power, revision of the constitution should be made ultimately. On the other hand, neoautomists insist that Japan has to recover and regain Japan’s pride by getting over the forced rules that America has made. Moreover, they show strong nation-centrism by saying that Japan shows its real image when Japan shows its strength by defensing by Japan itself. Contrary to the idea that emphasize the appearance of the military, internationalists thinks economic means, economic aids and so on important. They focus on international order and international activities through nonmilitary means. Pacifist also prefer peace through nonmilitary means. However, they insist that Japan need to reflect on the activities that they did on prewar days, stand and show the world as ‘small, but shining Japan’ instead of a ‘Big country Japan’, and protect pacific constitution, which is different with internationalists.

South Korea’s National Identity

South Korea formed national identity totally different with Japan. South Korea formed national identity having unification, problem about North Korea, anti-Japanese feeling. There has been a research saying that South Korea’s national identity and ethnic identity has been divided as South Korea and North Korea has divided after living for a long time saying ‘mono-ethnicity’ (Kang, 2011). It happened as they were not able to embody the basic element of nationalism about ‘One ethnic group, one country’ after the division of South and North Korea. Here, ethnic identity refers to both North and South Korea, and national identity talks about political meaning that includes identity difference. As division period has become prolonged, and as there has been different members of society as era changes, South Korea made their own independent identity, which made national identity and ethnic identity collapse or change. Research in South Korea’s identity made in this context are focused on finding the root of national identity according to Korean’s recognition, considering the possibility for the unification of society while distinguishing ‘we’ and ‘they’, changes of South Korea’s national identity through the flow of globalization, and the correlation of democracy. In this process, to measure the social distance, foreigners, immigrant workers, Korean nationals abroad, ethnic Koreans living in China, and resident escaping from North Korea was presented as comparison target. Researches about those were mostly about the expect the social cleavages in the process of unification, but it has also been understood as figuring out the frame and standard to define Korean.

There also has been research about the feeling toward Japan. According to Choi (2014), hostility according to historical experience of East Asia has worsened the feeling toward the opponent country. Moreover, he analyzed that the hostility gives bad effect to area stability, and insisted that the factors affecting Koran’s feeling toward Japan made South Korea be in concern for Japan’s military power, oppose for economic cooperation expansion, strengthen pride and sense of belonging about in-group, and closed identity about hostility about out-group affects the anti-Japanese feeling.

Comparing South Korea’s and Japan’s Identity

With the researches above, the researches about Japan was mostly talking about defeat of the war, economic development, and long-term recession. These makes Japan think roles in international society and making a relationship between countries near Japan are important. There has been a lot of considerations and contemplation about how to form their country, Japan. The researches about South Korea was mostly talking about division of South and North Korea and colonization. South Korea has defined themselves with the basis of divided country and colonization, distinguished themselves as ‘we’ and ‘they’, and unification of ‘we’ and ‘they’. It shows that South Korea and Japan has been concerning different problems even though they are living in the same period, which means that they have different national identity according to historical background. While Japan was concerning about relationships between other countries like Japan-America ally, an economic power, aids to South-east Asia, or national strategy about international society, South Korea was concerning out South and North Korea’s relationship, and ‘relationship inside us’, which happened due to the social change, due to the interior factor called division. Due to the difference of the concept, we can suppose that there has been a difference in recognizing each other. In other words, Japan has been concerning about according to how Japan has been defined or regulated as the role and the position of their country in international society, they were considering about the relationship between South Korea, and had argument about justification or apologies toward the past colonization. On the other hand, South Korea had formed collective identity, which distinguish ‘we’ and ‘they’, and made anti-Japanese feeling due to Japan’s colonization, and formed anticommunism ideology regarding the North and South war.

Researches that are existing provided a wide range of interpretations and analysis, environmental changes and contextual understanding, and provided in-depth insights into the impact of national identity on national relations, the flow of identity research between Korea and Japan, and the impact of national identity on bilateral relations. However, qualitative research based on literature and others has the limitation that if it is biased toward the subjective judgment of the researchers, it may lack objectivity, because of a lack of empirical evidence, the difficulty of eliciting discussion beyond discourse. Moreover, it is hard to deny the possibilities of the gap between the policy makers and ordinary citizens who present policies and implement them, as they are unable to infer and judge their collective identity through the words and attitudes of certain figures, including political elites, and others. In this case, there is a limitation to explain that the impact of public opinion on foreign policy in that does not reflect public opinion. On the other hand, opinion poll based studies reveal the difference in mutual recognition between the two countries, but they do not identify the root cause of this difference.

Conclusion

This paper aims to recognize the both Japan and South Korea’s national identity and find out the difference of recognition about the relationship between South Korea and Japan, and the troubles between them.

This paper was able to find out that the meaning and range of national identity has been formed differently between the two countries. To put it concretely, Japan’s research has been made regarding the relationship between Asian countries, including South Korea, and difference of Pan-Asianism of political elites. For South Korea, there has been researches about the distinguish about ‘we’ and ‘they’ and the range of embracing people as ‘we’. As a result, for Japan, South Korea has been an object or standards to introduce them the positions and roles of their country to international society. For South Korea, Japan has become a standard for distinguishing between ‘I’ and ‘they’, and a range and object to embrace in the process of social unification. Through this paper, the writer was able to know that from the different recognition with two other countries can affect differently about the relationship between two countries, and the conflict between them.

By looking at the research, it looks like it is quite hard to narrow down the recognition difference between South Korea and Japan’s conflict. Therefore, there should be more thoughts to make proper and true cooperation between the two countries. In other words, through continuing the relationship about economy, culture, and personal exchanges, it will be appropriate to expect to make a system that will make both countries to have less conflict. Moreover, when dealing with sensitive conflicts, instead of focusing on solving the problem, it will be better to first talk about how the two countries both recognize the particular conflict, and after that environment about apology and reconciliation should be made.

Lets first talk about what is national identity. National identity is a person’s identity or sense of belonging to one state or to one nation. It is the sense of nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture, language and politics . I think it is more negative aspects than positive, because if we just start in America there are infinity fighting’s about national identity. Ethnic Americans don’t like Afro-Americans they don’t like Muslims because they think all om them are terrorists and that’s wrong. You know what the white-Americans did with the Afro-Americans in the past they did horrible things to them, the hate even exist today. They are not showing it directly some of them, but indirectly. Positive aspect of having strong national identity is when you like your country and are very proud of it, like the Americans. Its positive to love where you come from, but there is when the conflicts begin. The Americans love their country and when the immigrants come in the ¨interrupt¨ them and they start a conflict. Donald Trump want to build a huge wall across the border of USA and Mexico to stop immigrants to come into USA. An example of national identity is when the Norwegians celebrate 17.mai they are showing a form of proudness.

The first text is about strong national identity. Its not enough to have talent but you must be Hungarian, that’s a form of racism. We have had many issues with this in Norway. If you are one of the best in Norway and want to work I a high grade you have 50/50 to achieve your goal. Just because you have another background, here it comes. You have Norwegian passport you are seen like a Norwegian but, just because you have a foreign name and your parents come from foreign country. You can’t get easily work like the people who have ethnic-Norwegians parents.

My national identity is Norwegian, but my background is Albanian because my parents is from there. When someone asks me where I come from I say Albania because I am also proud of my own home country, the same as the Americans the love their country. I have Norwegian passport, so I am technically Norwegian, and I am born here too regardless I say I am Albanian. How is it for me to have a foreign background and live in Norway? I think I’m neutral, that means that I am on the both sides. My name is not suspicious, and I come from Europe, so the cultures are similar. When I say my name is not suspicious I don’t mean that I am racist now but, when you have neutral name and one surname. Then your name will not be watched so close, and the chances to get work are slightly higher. It’s not just me but all the people who have no-Norwegian parents do not say their Norwegian. We like to share our national identity to other people, and I like that everyone shares their national identity, because then you learn about other cultures and places you’ve never hears of. In life you just learn new things all the time.

What I think about this is, everyone who is good for one thing should have the right to achieve his/her goal. No matter what nation or name, if the world keeps doing this we will not invent new things. I know that the world is unfear, but you must keep going and stand for who you are.

In the start we talked about what national identity is and what’s the positive/negative things about it. We talked about some examples of national identity and my own, how it is to be Albanian in Norway. Also, how they treat not ethnic Norwegians, and everyone has the right to show who they are because it can be good, and they wont regret.

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_identity. Seen 08.04.19 (quoted one sentence, marked with footnote)
2. https://www.reddit.com/r/Norway/comments/1k662f/norwegian_vs_american_culture/. Seen 08.04.19 (just for inspiration)

Rosalia Baena and Christa Byker`s article “Dialects of nostalgia: Downton Abbey and English identity” mentions a quote by Janelle L. Wilson. She says, “when nostalgia is produced and experienced collectively, it can promote a sense of ‘we’, thus serving the purpose of forging national identity” (Wilson, p. 31). Not only does this quote help strengthen the article`s authors` point, it also is relevant to history and the world today.The article analyses Julian Fellowes` drama series Downton Abbey and why the show has been so successful. The authors mention that one of the reasons for this could be the sense of nostalgia the show creates among the English. It makes the viewers yearn for times gone by and unites them through this mutual feeling. Janelle L. Wilson`s quote is used to support this argument and explain how these shared feelings play a part in creating the national identity of the English. Whilst this article focuses on the identity of the English, this idea can be applied to most nations.An example of nostalgia creating a sense of ‘we’, as Wilson puts it, could be found in the Latvian choir song Gaismas pils (Castle of Light) during the Singing Revolution that took place in the Baltic States between 1986-1991. Even though the song was written well before the occupation, it has remained relevant and important in the culture up until today. The song talks of times gone by- the times of freedom and expresses a hope for regaining it in the future. This creates a sense of nostalgia for the past. Even more important, it unifies the nation and urges the people to take action in order to achieve the goal expressed in the song. It produces the sense of national identity that the quote mentions. This idea is also prominent today in our society. Different events, media, even people, unite individuals and help them realize who they are as a nation and what their values are.Janelle L. Wilsons argument used in Rosalia Baena and Christa

Rosalia Baena and Christa Byker`s article “Dialects of nostalgia: Downton Abbey and English identity” mentions a quote by Janelle L. Wilson. She says, “when nostalgia is produced and experienced collectively, it can promote a sense of ‘we’, thus serving the purpose of forging national identity” (Wilson, p. 31). Not only does this quote help strengthen the article`s authors` point, it also is relevant to history and the world today.

The article analyses Julian Fellowes` drama series Downton Abbey and why the show has been so successful. The authors mention that one of the reasons for this could be the sense of nostalgia the show creates among the English. It makes the viewers yearn for times gone by and unites them through this mutual feeling. Janelle L. Wilson`s quote is used to support this argument and explain how these shared feelings play a part in creating the national identity of the English. Whilst this article focuses on the identity of the English, this idea can be applied to most nations.

An example of nostalgia creating a sense of ‘we’, as Wilson puts it, could be found in the Latvian choir song Gaismas pils (Castle of Light) during the Singing Revolution that took place in the Baltic States between 1986-1991. Even though the song was written well before the occupation, it has remained relevant and important in the culture up until today. The song talks of times gone by- the times of freedom and expresses a hope for regaining it in the future. This creates a sense of nostalgia for the past. Even more important, it unifies the nation and urges the people to take action in order to achieve the goal expressed in the song. It produces the sense of national identity that the quote mentions. This idea is also prominent today in our society. Different events, media, even people, unite individuals and help them realize who they are as a nation and what their values are.

Janelle L. Wilsons argument used in Rosalia Baena and Christa Byker`s article supports and explains the authors` argument and helps the reader understand their ideas. It also resonates strongly with society today and can be successfully used to explain and analyse different events in world history.

National identity is a sense of a nation and its people as a connected whole from an internal and external perspective (internal, as the people of that nation see themselves, and external, as the rest of the world views the people of that nation), which has developed over time. The development of ‘identity’ is something very important, which means that every human being is trying to find out the answer to who they are or where they belong to in society. Identification with a group is indispensable for social coherence and is the prerequisite for solidarity and helpfulness.

The poem ‘Theme for English B’ by Langston Hughes depicts a young black man who is trying to figure out what is true in his life via an English assessment. As the only black student in his class, he does not know whether to take on the persona of a typical English student regardless of race, skin color or stay true to his heritage and culture. The poem conveys a struggle for identity, as the black student is having a hard time identifying himself as one or the other. In the first stanza, the student starts to doubt himself and lists everything that sets him apart from his classmates. Including that he is the only African American student in his class and that he resides in Harlem. In the third stanza, the student starts listing traits and similarities between him and his peers. “I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love, I like to work, read, learn, and understand life”. By doing that he shows us things he has in common with his peers, even though they are different in appearance. His dilemma is trying to figure out who is and where he fits into a world dominated by white people. He wonders: “So, will my page be colored that I write”. The student is both a part of Harlem and a mostly white English class: “I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page”. While he holds into his African American heritage, he also acknowledges that it does not have to define him as a person. “I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races”. The speaker comes to the conclusion, that even though his different from his classmates, in some ways they all American with common values and interests.

The song lyrics ‘Made in America’ by Toby Keith is distinctly different from the poem. It is about identifying yourself with the American values. In the song he mainly talks about his traditional American family that get frustrated over “foreign cars filled with fuel that isn’t Randa Mock exam 1stb ours”. And further he talks about buying and using American products, “Spends a little more in the store for a tag. In the back that says USA”. ‘Made in USA’ is a label protected by the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC. In order for an item to be called such, the item must be made within the United States. He also talks about his wife being obedient and perfect. “She’s golden rule”. Saying and doing traditional activities as celebrating the fourth of July, saying the pledge of alliance etc. The lyric is mainly about love for one’s country and nation. “He’s got the red, white, and blue flying’ high on the farm”. “Patriotism, feeling of attachment and commitment to a country or nationalism”. In this lyric the speaker is proud to be American and does not have any ‘identity crisis’, as we see in the poem. He is and identify himself as proud American, which is very obvious from the title “Made in America.

Nationalism emerged as a political movement in Europe in the 19th century after the French Revolution in 1789–1799. Yet, patriotism has its origins some 2,000 years prior to the rise of nationalism in the 19th century. This essay will attempt to define the terms nationalism, patriotism and national identity and discuss the terms nationalism and how globalization is likely to have an effect on national identity.

National identity is the sense of belonging to one nation or state. National identity plays a significant role in shaping a person’s identity. National identity is not an inborn trait however it may refer to the feeling a person shares with a group or nation. National identity results from everything we are surrounded by, including music, radio, television, national symbols, etc. People incorporate national identity into their personal identities by adapting certain beliefs, values and morals which fits their national identity. National identity is viewed in phycological term as “an awareness of difference a feeling and recognition of we and they”. The positive side of national identity may be patriotism feeling of attachment and commitment to a country, nation, or political community.

Patriotism is associated with the love of law and liberty of the city. On the other side we have the extreme expression of nation. “Patriotism (love of country) and (loyalty to one’s nation)”, which is the strong belief in the country’s superiority and power and one’s loyalty to their country. Nationalism is both a sense of belonging people can have and a political ideology.

By definition, “nationalism is an ideology that emphasizes loyalty, devotion, or allegiance to a nation or nation-state and holds that such obligations outweigh other individual or group interests”. For example, many Americans feelings belong to the country and consider themselves part of a national society. There is, to some extent, a product that many historical actors have taken concrete and political action to promote this, for example by building common national institutions. A political nationalist movement has thus played and developed a national connection.

Nationalism can be both extreme and moderate. Nationalism exists in both moderate and extreme form. Nazism in Germany before and during World War II is an example of extreme nationalism. Norwegian patriotism is an example of moderate nationalism. Moderate nationalism is based on compromises. Moderate nationalism is common in many countries, including Norway. Moderate nationalism accepts immigration and admission of new citizens, but expects adaptation to the country’s language and customs. On the other hand, radical nationalist parties usually oppose immigration from other cultural areas or immigration criticism. Radical nationalist politics has in many cases led to war and violent conflict, as in Germany’s 1930s policy.

Nationalism as a movement was important in the creation of modern nations and in democratization. It also played a central role in the liberation of the colonies and the establishment of states in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union. The historical role of nationalism does not mean that it is finished as a political force. Immigration has created new challenges for national states and has led to a resurgence of immigration- critical and nationalist parties. In several countries, such as Spain and Scotland, nationalism plays a potentially destabilizing role.

Globalization is the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of nations around the globe fostered through free trade. The world is becoming more globalized. It might be added though, that rapid expansion of globalization and penetration of global forces into local societies and their markets inflicts feelings of insecurity, fear and disillusion in many regions of the world. Trump declaration of him being a nationalist got a lot of negative comments. Trump stated that him saying “I am nationalist” is another way of saying America is first. For Trump the opposite of nationalism is not patriotism but globalization. By Trump’s account, all recent presidents have been globalists, not nationalists: “For many, many years our leaders have been more worried about the world than they have about the United States and they leave us in the mess”. Globalization can have a negative effect on national identity by making decisions for the world and not the country and also by making already rich people richer and the poor people mired in poverty. Globalization creates a political system where the biggest and richest people have the most influence and the lower classes has less or none impact.

Summing up, national identity plays a huge rule in forming a person’s identity. Some people may have one or several identities. National identity is the sense of belonging to one nation or state. Nationalism is an ideology that emphasizes loyalty, devotion, or allegiance to a nation or nation-state and holds that such obligations outweigh other individual or group interests, while patriotism is the feeling of attachment and commitment to a country, a person’s love for a country. Nationalism can be both extreme and moderate. The Nazis in Germany is an example of extreme nationalism. Globalization will have a big effect on the world by making already rich people richer and the poor people mired in poverty.