Typically the field of political science would define a "state" as an entity or society that has a permanently settled population that resides in a defined territory with recognized geographic boundaries. Internally, a state has a recognized political body and the inhabitants are subject to abide by the laws enacted by this body, either as subjects (in the case of feudal agrarian societies) or as citizens (in democratic, industrial and post industrial societies). Outwardly, a state is politically recognized by other "states" as states, and enters into political, cultural, and economic relations (and disputes) with these states.
A nation on the other hand, is union of people who share cultural characteristics, including norms (behavior deemed socially acceptable), values (socially defined standards of good, bad, right, wrong, beauty, ugliness, deliciousness, and repulsiveness) and beliefs (socially definitions of what is "true" of this world). These people usually speak the same language, and understand the symbolism of the national culture.
The term Nation State, therefore, is a society that combines these two and was recognized as a useful concept to define and understand modern (European) societies and the modern world. Using this definition, countries like Spain, France and Great Britain, etc. were some of the first recognized (European) Nation States. Later, with unification Germany, and Italy were also recognized Nation States.
However, our text book reminds us that societies have a long history; at least 10,000 years as we learn on page one. The term Nation State has only been used for roughly 500 years and is usually only applied to Western European Societies. Although, Japan and China some other "nonwestern" societies fit this description of Nation State and have been recognized by western Nation States as well as in the evolution of the concept.
In the final chapters of the book, the authors address the pace of cultural, economic and political changes in a post-industrial globalized world. They consider the effects of these changes both positive and negative and the prospects for the future.
The Question(s) address for paper are:
Q1: Is the concept of the Nation State still a relevant or useful concept in an era of fast paced globalization? Why or Why not?
Q2: Has the concept of the Nation State ever been useful, or does a historical analysis reveal that it has been merely an ideological construct used in by western states to colonize societies or sectors of the world in a global system of power and exploitation? Provide some examples.