National Identity and Social Cohesion: Chile in perspective

National identity is a complex and multidimensional concept built over time through various historical, cultural, political, and social factors. Its relationship with social cohesion has been extensively studied in different contexts, since, historically, a strong national identity has been shown to foster unity, but when based on restrictive criteria, it can also be a factor of exclusion.

Thus, national identity has served as a mechanism for social cohesion, facilitating the construction of a sense of belonging and solidarity among citizens. However, it has also been used as an instrument of control, reinforcing homogeneous narratives that marginalise certain groups within society. In this regard, various studies have demonstrated that the way a society defines its national identity influences how it manages internal diversity and its capacity to generate inclusion or segregation.

In other words, “National identities provide criteria of demarcation — they tell us who belongs and who doesn’t. Thus, national identities grant to some the status of belonging in the in-group, but they also exclude those who do not fit the criteria imposed. In that sense, a national identity is a double-edged sword, which can both foster unity and fragmentation” (Holtug and Uslaner, 2021, p. 2).

Currently, the disputes surrounding national identities are especially prominent in the debates on immigration and integration, where “who belongs (and so whose admission should be welcomed), and the conditions on which they can become (full) members (by obtaining citizenship as well as various political and social rights that may or may not be tied to citizenship)” are defined (Holtug and Uslaner, 2021, p. 2).

As a result, it can be interpreted that national identity not only responds to an internal construction, but it is also influenced by international dynamics. These include migration (as mentioned above), in addition to less obvious influences such as globalisation and technological advances, all of which have modified the way in which individuals relate to their countries of origin and to other cultures.

It is worth noting that the importance of national identities goes well beyond their ability to affect people’s access to legal rights; they also foster individuals’ sense of belonging, as they shape perceptions which, in turn, impact their idea of “deservingness of specific groups.” Such perceived deservingness can significantly influence the redistribution carried out by governments in various countries (Holtug and Uslaner, 2021, p. 3).

For its part, “Social cohesion consists in the features that tie community members together in ways that are conducive to cooperation and other forms of pro-social interaction and includes elements such as trust and solidarity.” In this regard, “A major worry in contempo6 NATIONAL IDENTITY AND SOCIAL COHESION rary politics, which has also been expressed by many social scientists, is that immigration and diversity drive down social cohesion” (Holtug and Uslaner, 2021, p. 7).

Framed in this way, it is reasonable to interpret these factors as constantly evolving, challenging traditional conceptions of nation and citizenship. In turn, the appeal to a sense of belonging inherent in their conceptualisation plays—and has played throughout history—a fundamental role in social cohesion. Their impact can be observed in the shift in political orientation that various countries have undergone recently, leading to a resurgence of phenomena such as polarisation, populism, and anti-immigrant sentiment. This can be seen, for example, in Europe, with political leaders like Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party in Hungary, Alternative for Germany, and the National Front in France, whose discourse increasingly justifies distancing themselves from a liberal political order.

The same can be said of Chile, where the massive immigration of at least the last ten years has led different political actors to modify their positions on the matter, with heated debates regarding regularisation and expulsion processes, border control, the role of the armed forces and even the right to vote.

Motivated by the above, this theoretical framework will explore the concepts of national identity and social cohesion, as well as the relationship between them. This exploration will be conducted from a general, descriptive, and comparative perspective, before proceeding to identify, in the Chilean case, the characteristics, particularities, and circumstances that have historically given rise to the described dynamic, extracting elements that allow for its understanding today.

The research will analyse several different theoretical approaches and international experiences that have addressed this type of conceptualisation and relationships, highlighting both the factors that favour an inclusive national identity and those that can lead to social fragmentation, while also taking into account the political moment in which we find ourselves, both nationally and internationally.