This book explores belonging within a globalized society through a political lens, framing the multiple and sometimes contradictory meanings of the boundaries of identity in multi-national and multi-cultural contexts. It focuses specifically on the concept of belonging by choice, and positions this as a distinctive feature of modern society. It explores how symbols operate in the construction of collective identities, how freedom to choose relates in some cases to willingness to conform, and explores political loyalty in authoritarian, democratic, and instrumental versions. The book also examines how the rise of new radical right populism positions some identities as permanent outsiders and explores who is entitled to belong in contemporary nation states.
Montserrat Guibernau, M. (2013). Belonging: Solidarity and division in modern societies. polity.
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