Hi! I'm studying anthropology and I'm really fascinated with the nation state and borders, and the meaning of those. I'm trying to find info on how the modern state as we know it came to be. I've found info on the ancient states but I can only find a little on how the state took it's current form, for example that we first had border control after WW2.
Also, any good reading material on this?
Thank you!
Well, the Nation State comes from three major nations that still exist today: England, France, and Spain. Rather than being affiliated with an ethnic group, these three nations were tied to the Crown and the Crown's expression of what their identity was.
In the case of Spain, The Reconquestinsta was a major part b in the formation of Spain. France and England had their national identies start to form the Hundred Years War when the Crown was pulling resources to fight the enemy. There are larger issues of course, Spanish nationalism during the French invasion of Spain and French identity has a lot to owe to the French Revolution.
However, the Nation State comes not from a shared identity but when the Crown needed to organize and wage war with maximum ability.
Edit: While focused on military and the state, the book I would recommend for this would be War and the Rise of the State, but I'm not 100% sure on the title since I'm not at home.