Designing the Nation State

Nationalism

Nationalism is the most influential ideology in the modern world. Even those who don’t eat an orange tompouce on King’s Day understand what typically Dutch directness or conviviality means. And who could still imagine a world without passports, borders and citizenship? The fatherland is the highest authority and can demand anything of you. Nationality seems entirely self-evident, rock-solid even. But it is not.

The nation state

The nation state is a relatively recent invention, in which design plays a major role. It is no coincidence that national banknotes and government buildings are regarded as prestigious design commissions. The authority of the state rests on designed symbols and rituals: the national flag, the national anthem, the coat of arms. States have now become a sort of marketing enterprise. Through commercial campaigns, tourist attractions and social media, they seek to claim their own slice of the collective consciousness. Life is full of familiar and less familiar designs that serve as reminders of where loyalty should lie.