European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

128 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETYan equal footing— even if such right is not necessarily exercised proposingthe creation of an independent State (there are other solutions,such as a federation). Nationalism assumes this principle and focuses onthe project of construction or survival of one´s nation. The notion ofnation is linked to at least four fundamental issues: a land consideredone´s own (which must be claimed if others occupy it), political sovereigntyexercised within it (or which one aspires to exercise, if there is externaldomination), a feeling of common belonging as co-nationals (whichnationalism promotes, and of which it is nourished, furthermore definingthe criteria of belonging) and a history through which the nationalcommunity becomes a collective subject assuming its heritage andprojecting itself into the future.These traits with which nationalism can be defined may be lived indifferent ways, giving rise to different modes of nationalism. Thefollowing are highlighted:First of all, we may distinguish between culturalist nationalism andbiologicist nationalism. According to the former, what defines co-nationalsis their participation in a national culture. Thus, common ancestryis secondary: it is believed that a nation can have diverse biological originsand that both the integration of individuals with different origins(immigrants) and the exit from the nation of everyone wishing to (whichemphasizes the role of choice: an initial membership condition, such asbirth, is not a deterministic factor) are possible. Biologicist nationalismalso refers to a national culture, but according to it, birth is indeed thedefinite and permanent membership condition (reinforcedly so when itrefers back to the ius sanguinis; and more flexibly so when it refers backto the ius soli).Secondly, and focusing on national culture, we can speak aboutdense or faint nationalisms. The former advocate a dense nationalculture, inserting in it views of the world, ways of life and religiousbeliefs which are required of co-nationals as an expression of loyalty,thus severely reducing their autonomy. The latter integrates theprinciples and values inherent to human rights into the national cultureand defines what is specific about it with elements which do nothinder the fundamental dynamics of personal autonomy (language,history, certain non-coercive institutions and traditions, etc.).Thirdly, we can distinguish between open and closed nationalisms.Closed nationalism is defined as such from two points of view: becauseit has rigid membership criteria preventing access to the nation, butalso sometimes the exit from it, based on personal choice; and becausein the area of distribution of goods, it defends closed solidarity, i.e. asolidarity focusing exclusively on co-nationals (if it focuses on other