Defining terms such as nation and nationalism is difficult and problematic due to the abstract nature of these concepts. Today we assume that everyone has a nationality and identifies with a nation. Yet, the terms nation and nationalism are modern ideas, not constructed in the ancient past, but rather, in the period following the end of European colonialism. The end of European domination, and the rise of technology and modernization enabled people throughout the world to create identities for themselves. The nation did not naturally emerge from the differences of language, religion, government and culture in the world, but rather, from the politicians who used these elements to create identities for their own people, and define their nations.
National identity is embedded in gender.
What it means to be a man and woman is tied to culture and the politics of the nation. National identities are different from each other based upon the way men interact with women. The ways in which men and women interact in the private realm contribute to the definition of a nation, and enable one nation to distinguish itself from another, i.e. India v. Britain. Since women embody the private realm, they are responsible for preserving the national identity and culture. Sinha points out that nothing is more natural than the family, and similar to our bond with the family, we have an attachment to the nation.