Jillian Turner Blog 1: What makes a nation?

Sexy Racy Blog 1

1/21/13

A Nation

It would be simple to say that a nation is simply defined by location. It would be cut and dry with no questions asked. But, unfortunately, the definition of a nation is not so elementary. In Nathan Adolfson's film Passing Through he addresses the concept of a nation through his search of identity. After living with his adoptive family in the United States, he returns to Korea to further his education. There, he feels like an outsider, someone who felt out of place both at home in the United States and with his relatives in Korea. I found this particularly relatable as someone who is biracial: never completely one race or another. I wondered: could race define a nation? In a place like the United States, people from all over the world come to live and learn. Therefore, race can't possibly define a nation like the U.S. As a result, race also seems an arbitrary definition. In Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson speaks to "genetic heritage" and "physical capabilities" as characteristic factors of a nation (Anderson 27). Again, I felt that this could be a cop-out. I do however believe that a nation can be defined by the population's belief in each other. 

On page 28, Anderson offers the notion that “It is the magic of nationalism to turn chance into destiny.” Words like magic and destiny are both things that people must believe in, just like a nation. In his film, Nathan struggles to connect with the people at home in the U.S. as well as in Korea on the basis of beliefs. His mother says in the film that Nathan never associated with the other Asian children in his class; assuming that he didn’t want to believe he was like them. It is this believe that sparks his crisis of identity when, in his older age, he begins to grasp the differences between him and his family members. A similar problem arises when Nathan is in Korea. His belief that he is inherently different than the people cause him great angst and make him questions his motives and identity as a whole.

Race, religion, politics, language, location; these are all things that could characterize nations on a shallow basis. But in the end, it is belief that runs true. This is shown in the film when Nathan finds his biological family in Korea. Now, he has someone to believe in, someone to tie him to that specific place. I think that is something universal: someone to believe in that ties one to a location. If it weren’t for family and friends, what would ultimately keep someone in the United States rather than Canada or Argentina from Brazil? It’s our roots that make up a nation. The people and place we believe in.