National Identity: “I am the State”

The modern world was shaped, established, and preserved by nationalism and nations. In this sense, human beings became the key legitimative power for politics through the respective revolutions. Consequently, the state form transformed and integrated into the modern requirements of the Westphalian system. Then, nations became the owners of the modern states with the sovereignty and election instruments. Parallel to that, nations emerged within their respective societies. So, nations cannot be imagined without modern societies. In this respect, nations and national identities need to differ from other group identities. According to the author, national identities have emerged as a means of controlling and managing diversities within the territory of nation-states. On the other hand, being a member of nations has emerged as the main way to be recognized as an equal in modern societies. In this article, the author discusses national identity theoretically and integrates it into the case of Azerbaijan.