Greek National Identity
Greek
National Identity
What
is National Identity?
National identity is the sense of membership and belonging to an
imagined cohesive nation, expressed by adopting and supporting the distinctive
beliefs, values, and cultural traditions associated with it. Nations are not an
objective entity, but rather a collection of people who feel an inherent
connection to one another based on their location within the established
territorial boundaries, as well as commonalities surrounding culture and social
norms. The distinctive factors that define a nation can include language,
religion, ethnicity, shared myths and heroes, or economic system such as the
type of currency. Benedict Anderson’s “Imagined Communities" offers a
definition of a nation as an “imagined political community – and imagined as
both inherently limited and sovereign” (Anderson 3). I argue that, although a
national community is imagined in the sense that you will never personally know
the rest of the members and that its boundaries change throughout history, the
real-life implications of a nation make it worth analyzing as a tangible
concept.
To
Be Greek:
History
Greece’s national identity is built on the shared realities and
beliefs of its citizens, and much of this comes from its history. This includes
its fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire, the mythology and legends
of Ancient Greece, as well as the many global contributions that have been
made, such as democracy, philosophy, and architecture. Zervas (2012) discusses
the way in which the Greek public education system designed textbooks to
portray an “identity continuum by means of common historical and cultural
similarities between modern and ancient Greece” (654). Following their
independence in 1829, Ancient Greek history was not widely known of, and the
distribution of this information through curriculums effectively shaped the way
they started to be perceived as a sovereign nation. Due to this, the Greek
identity is very much centered around being proud of their heritage and origin
stories.
Language
The Greek language is only spoken as an official language in
Greece and Cyprus, which limits the ability for many to be included within the
“authentic” Greek identity. It is spoken by more than 90% of the population
(Kiprop, 2019), which makes it difficult for non-speakers to feel like a member
of the collective nation. When you can’t communicate with a majority of the
other people in your community, it also becomes harder to learn directly from
your neighbors about the culture and ways of life. Language is not a primary
part of all national identities, as can be seen with the universalization of
the English language, for example, which is now the official language (or one
of them) for several countries. Greece has resisted this linguistic homogeneity
and has continued the almost exclusive use of their language, which in turn
strengthens the national bond between Greek citizens.
Religion
Religion was an important motivator and unifying factor during the
revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which ultimately won Greece their
independence. It is not surprising that it was then included in the opening
article of the Greek constitution, classifying Greek people as “all natives who
believe in Christ.” Lycourinos (2017) argues that this establishes an
ethno-religious identity which relies on the assumption that ethnicity
determines religion and vice versa. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the prevailing
religious group in Greece, and around 98% of the population identify as a
member. Many of the civic events and traditions surround religious holidays and
practices, making the church a central point of community building, and thus
strengthening the shared, and seemingly distinctive, national bond.
Ethnicity
Ethnic nationality is seen as redundant and inaccurate in most
places, as immigration and cross-cultural marriages have gotten rid of the
“ethnic purity” that used to be strived for. These contradictions contribute to
the argument that nations are social constructs, because there is no biological
basis to their existence. However, Greece’s citizenship laws, as well as the
racism occurring within Greece, tell a different story. To be a Greek citizen,
you must have a parent with direct lineage, meaning that being born there is
not enough to allow you to hold citizen status. It is estimated that 98% of the
population is Greek (Kiprop, 2019), making it a surprisingly ethnically
homogenous population. Again, homogeneity makes othering easier for people
holding a nationalist mode of thinking, and, in times of instability, they will
victimize members of minority groups. According to the UNHCR (2021), most acts
of racism committed by citizens and/or extremist groups take place in
communities where othered groups are concentrated. This exemplifies the
consequences that can result from ethnicity being a focal point of a national
identity.
Significant
Others and Othering Within Greece
Trianfylldou argues that, by establishing the sovereignty and
uniqueness of one nation, it inherently others all other nations because they
aren’t a part of the first. To define what a nation is is to also define what
it is not. She categorizes this “significant othering” process into different
types of perceived threats: external others which threaten to wipe out the
national identity, and internal others which threaten to contaminate the
nation.
There are hundreds of thousands of refugees who seek asylum in
Greece from Middle Eastern countries, such as Afghanistan and Syria, but they
unfortunately often face discrimination and internal othering. According to the
UN Refugee Agency, “refugees and asylum-seekers are perceived as a threat to
public health, while discrimination against specific target groups in terms of
access to services, intensifies” (UNHCR, 2021). Even though these refugees are
entering Greece legally, they are treated as intruders both socially and
systematically. Along with ostracization, it is made very difficult to attain
identification or health care. Rather than wanting to share the Greek culture,
it is treated as an exclusive, unattainable identity which only belongs to
those who fit the criteria.
While Greece has several others of its own, it is also considered
to be an other, or at least almost was, by the countries within the dominant
European monetary union, or Eurozone. Grexit was a proposed withdrawal from
this affiliation, largely because of the impossible amount of debt which they
owe, which effectively prevents them from being able to participate in economic
competition with the rest of Europe. It has also left them without the
necessary financial resources to support their citizens. However, if Greece
were to withdraw from the union, they would essentially be blacklisted and
internationally labeled as a “pariah state” (McQuillan, 2017). To be othered by
Europe would impact their imports and exports, their potential allies in a
situation of war or conflict, and their perceived identity would shift
negatively.
Final
Thoughts
National identity is a shared cultural feeling of membership to a
perceived community, and the Greek identity is rooted in shared history, the
Greek language, the Greek Orthodox religion, and perceived ethnic uniformity.
By defining what it means to be Greek, those who don’t share these traits are
othered, even if they live within the physical boundaries of this country. This
includes immigrant and minority groups who come from the Middle East, as well
as the Turkish population, which mainly concentrates in a small Muslim
community in Thrace. Within a nation that is somewhat religiously and
ethnically homogenous, othered identities tend to be more recognizable and are
unfortunately treated as such. Greece also has the potential to be an other
within the confines of the European union due to their prospective withdrawal
from the shared economic system. Eurovision has been an opportunity for Greece
to autonomously design and internationally convey their desired identity, as
well as to maintain positive relationships with other countries.
Word count: 1257
Greece. Integral
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Kiprop, V. (2019, July 18). What
is the ethnic composition of Greece?. WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-ethnic-composition-of-greece.html
Lycourinos, D. Z. (2017). Modern
Greek ethno-religious nationalism. Implicit Religion, 20(1),
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McQuillan, M. (2017). Saint
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(1985). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism.
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UNHCR. (2021, April 22). Racist
violence recording network: Annual report 2020. UNHCR Greece. https://www.unhcr.org/gr/en/19763-racist-violence-recording-network-annual-report-2020.html
Zervas, T. G., & Papadopoulos,
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identity constructions at the Socrates and Koraes Greek-American schools. European
Education, 52(1), 16–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/10564934.2019.1682461
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