ABSTRACT
The state-idea helps the nation to evolve an image of itself: looking through its prism the nation draws strength from a sense ofbeingpushed by history and pulled by an ideal - from a sense of past fulfilment and a duty to fulfil the future destiny. By linking that which was with that which is to be, the nation develops an image of what it itself is and what it should become. Many a nation-in-becoming in today's Mrica scans feverishly the records of the past for a hint as to its future identity, and,
conversely,fromanidealoffutureidentityhistoryisselectivelyretraced,thisorthatpastappropriated,anotherrejected.1Asconceptsof stateandnationalidentityevolve,thereemergesalsoafeelingofbelonging:ofidentificationwithacertainworldandenvironmentboth culturalandgeographical.TheimperialideasetBritainofffromEurope, andidentifieditwithaseparate,world-wideandoceanic,culturaleconomiccommunity.Butastheimperialideacollapsed,theBritish begantodevelopadifferentconceptofstateandidentity;theyarenow drawingcloserto,mayevenmergewith,WesternEurope.TheTurksof theOttomanEmpireerathoughtprimarilyindynamicPan-Islamic terms,andsharplycontrastedtheirworldwiththatofEurope.Eventhe EuropeansthemselvesviewedTurkishEuropeasapartoftheNear East.Buttoday,onthecontrary,theTurksareespousingtheKemalist national-stateideaandarestrenuouslyarguing,andtryingtoprove, thatTurkeyisanintegralpartoftheWest.Thecultural-political boundarybetweenEuropeandAsiahasfluctuatedthroughouttheages accordingtotheculturalandgeopoliticalself-identificationofthe borderpeople.2
