Critical junctures? Complexity and the post-colonial nation-state

This paper develops a theoretical framework inspired by complexity theory to assess trajectories of the post-colonial nation-state. Drawing on notions like singularities and critical junctures, initial conditions, and system parameters relevant to the meanings, constituencies, and technologies that determine nation-building trajectories, it shows that in the cases of Turkey, Indonesia/Yogyakarta, and New Zealand – new forms of cultural nationalism are emerging. In keeping with Mill's logic of difference, this convergent outcome despite the otherwise great divergence across the cases is suggestive of similar process afoot in the (re)imagination of the nation-state across the post-colonial and globalizing world more broadly. These emergent articulations, we show, are more inclusive of certain aspects of “indigenous” experience relevant to certain group identities, than earlier post-colonial nationalisms, while threatening to others.