The Nation and Future Geographies of the Past

ABSTRACT The perennial question of who is properly part of the nation is again taking on a predominance in North America and Europe. This short intervention contends that to understand the operations of these contemporary geographies of nationalism, in which the hardening categories of national and foreigner serve as the basis to build or deny access to social rights, it is necessary to turn to the past. The past serves both to legitimate the nation but also as the means to demonstrate its fabrication. The commentary outlines how the past has been a focal point in geography, hinging around the issue of representation. It then points to alterations to representation with digital media and technology, thus opening questions over how contemporary geographies of the past interact with geographies of the nation.