Nation State System | Arslan Zahid Khan | International Relations Lecture Series |

The nation state is a system of organization in which people with a common identity live inside a country with firm borders and a single government. That wasn't so bad, right? But what does it all mean? The nation state has a dramatic influence on the way we live our lives. It's how we identify ourselves. I'm American. I'm Russian. I'm Antarctican. (Okay, that last one isn't a thing.) It also determines what language we speak, what laws we follow, and what holidays we celebrate. Cinco de Mayo? Boxing Day? Fourth of July? The nation state is a system of political, geographic, and cultural organization, and it is one of the most important parts of your life that you don't think about. The nation state is held together by its physical boundaries, its government, and the fact that the people believe they are connected to each other.