ABSTRACT
In this chapter I lay out my analytical approach and illustrate it with a general narrative on how the argument advanced played out in the period under study. In the fi rst section I delve into the bipartite nature of the international system and how it opens the way for states to express their identity through one of its constitutive principles: sovereignty. I then proceed to discuss identity as a social category constructed on two realms, emphasizing its relational and political nature. In this process, I argue, culture, history, and recognition play a crucial role. Furthermore, I maintain that in the case at hand nationalism as a type of identity had momentous consequences for sovereignty and the sense of purpose Mexico was poised to project in the international arena in general and in its relationship with the United States in particular.
