ABSTRACT
Historically, the formation of new nation-states has involved the inculcation, primarily through schools, of a shared sense of national identity, and, in the last few decades, many states have found the need to redefine their identity. Thus, the end of the Cold War saw significant changes to portrayals of national foes and allies in many nations. The need for the construction of a strong sense of national identity has been especially acute in new and multi-ethnic states. In new states, the construction of a national identity has served the purpose of external legitimisation as an independent political entity, as was the case in many post-colonial and post-Soviet states. With the rise of globalisation and the associated cross-border movements of people, increasing numbers of ‘established’ nation-states find the collective, national identity of their respective citizens being negotiated. Old nation-states like Germany and France have been forced to rethink their national identity, since they have to deal with the realities of increasing multiculturalism, the integration of second- and third-generation immigrants, and also the emergence of a European identity and larger supranational bodies, such as the UN.
