Identity and Difference in Politics among Nations: A Semiotic Approach

‘Signs make di¤erence.’ ‘Di¤erence makes signs.’ These two statements on the relation between ‘signs’ and ‘di¤erence’ play an important role in the national politics and in the relationships among Nations. However, contrary to initial impressions, the two propositions are neither symmetrical nor reciprocal. In the first statement, the term ‘di¤erence’ merely indicates a state, while in the second case it also indicates a process. In the first statement, the term ‘di¤erence’ merely indicates an identity, while in the second case it also indicates a relation of alterity. This paper discusses the politic conception of the Nation as Di¤erence-Identity or Di¤erence alterity, i.e., a difference non-indifferent to the other Nations.