Leif Laszlo Haaning:
The figth for nationahood - The concept of nationality and its use in Denmark in 1885 - 1915

This article analyses the concept of nationality and use of the concept in the political debate in Denmark. As its starting point, the article uses the political debate at the turn of the century from 1885 to 1915 when the trckle for a new constitution, the Danish military defence and the Danish national identity in North Schleswig was a recurrent element of the public debate. Through an analysis of this debate the author seeks to establish how certain definitions of nationality are used to legitimise one's own position and delegitimise the position of political opponents. In the truckle for political influence, nationality presents itselfs with changing imprecise and double meanings. Depending on the political strategies and motives of the historical players, the nation could be seen as a cultural unity where nationality was synonymus with shared ethic origins - or a political unity in which nationality was synonumous with the state community. The theory set forth in this article is that nationality should be seen a dynamic entity continously changing according to political motives, political invention and the legitimitasion of a political clause. In this way, the traditionally contrast in the study of the cultural and political nation is questioned. At the same time this discussion impinges on any perceptions of nationality as a given, fundamental concept. Nationality is interpreded through its linguistic context and in relation to the political situation and strategy. The linguistic dimension and the political motive are essential for an analysis of phenomena such as Danish nationality and Danish identity.