expressed. Consider the relevance of this today. Ang Yi-Ian | Tony Ng National identity must be clearly defined and

INTRODUCTION The European migrant crisis has seen a record number of refugees and migrants journeying to the European Union (EU) to seek asylum. The influx of foreigners has sent off a fresh wave of anti-immigrant anxiety and protest across Europe, with many fearing the dilution of their national identities. However, is the national identity even relevant in today’s world? National identity is a modern phenomenon of a fluid and dynamic nature, one by means of which a community sharing a particular set of characteristics is led to the subjective belief that its members are ancestrally related. Belief in a shared culture, history, traditions, symbols, kinship, language, religion, territory, founding moment, and destiny have been invoked, with varying intensity at different times and places, by peoples claiming to share a particular national identity. The idea that national identity must be clearly defined and expressed is still largely relevant today, in view of the threats posed by globalisation and transnational terrorism.

GLOBALISATION A clearly defined and expressed national identity is necessary due to the onslaught of globalisation. As the world becomes more connected, young people aspire to seek opportunities for themselves, and sometimes this might mean migrating to another country. This is a problem when too many youth decide to leave their home country in search for a brighter future, leading to the ‘brain drain’ experienced by countries such as China, with 70% of its students who studied overseas choosing to remain abroad. A national identity is also essential for attracting the talents of the world. Additionally, national identity is essential in convincing foreigners to remain in a new country. Most foreigners will quickly become isolated in a new homeland if that country does not present them with a sense of belonging to something desirable and attractive in its own right, something more than just residence or vague opportunity or even welfare benefits. Thus, a failure to be clear on national identity leaves a society vulnerable to being overwhelmed by those with a much better defined sense of community identity.

TERRORISM Another relevance of national identity is in preventing terrorism from achieving its main objectives. Terrorists have longed used attacks on the public to destabilise nations and hence pressure them to bend to their will, or to simply wreak as much havoc as possible. Only through a strong sense of national identity will citizens be able to remain attached to a country and not flee it. Through a strong sense of national identity, people can also able to trust in their authorities to resolve the situation. This will deny terrorists their aim of tearing the social fabric and plunging the society into mass hysteria, and may even aid in helping the whole nation band together and work to retaliate against the perpetuators. This was clearly seen after the September 11 attacks on the United States, after which a poll showed that a staggering 80% of Americans supported the invasion of Afghanistan.

COUNTER-ARGUMENT Some people may posit that in today’s global village, there is no need for national identities, having been replaced by the ‘global identity’. New York City is the premiere example of a place that embodies transcendent global values rather than a specific racial, religious or national identity. New York does not militarily or diplomatically protect its national interests. Instead, it is free to develop based on openness and originality, which ultimately creates a community that is outward-looking and modern.

REBUTTAL However, this is true only in times of prosperity. Should misfortune descend upon New York, it is unclear how many would fight for its survival, or how many would simply abandon it and flee, seeing it only as a place to build their businesses. This was the case in Kuwait. During the invasion of Kuwait by the Iraqi army in the First Gulf War, many Kuwaitis responded by fleeing the country to other parts of the Middle East, and almost no resistance was put up to the invading Iraqi army. Thus, national identity still has its place in the long-term survival of a country.

CONCLUSION Therefore, it can be concluded that national identity still plays a significant role in the safety and stability of a country, being able to ensure the survival of the nation in crises that may befall it.

Ang Yi-Ian | Tony Ng Thank You