Angie Scarth-johnson is the author of the new book titled, “How to be a Nationality: Creating and Sustaining Healthy Differences in Age,” which was released in 2021 by Cornell University Press. While there may have been some disagreements regarding definitions of what constitutes a nationality, for the purposes of this book, we will focus on her specific definition of a nationality. A nation is a group of people with similar cultural traits that share the same political, economic, legal, and spiritual associations. The idea is that all people in a nation share the same culture, language, and traditions, while still maintaining their individuality and unique identities. Nationality can be understood in the context of the definition of a culture, as each culture has its own beliefs, customs, practices, and social interactions.
There are many different ways to look at differences in height between individuals of the same gender, race, and nationality. The author contends that those differences do not necessarily point to biological differences but are more likely due to socialization and group identity. In addition, there are differences in height that are correlated with the concept of nationalities, with some groups being taller than others and with others being shorter. For instance, the races that are short have historically been stereotyped as lazy or dumb, while the taller races are thought to be more intelligent or capable. Within the United States, there are differences in height that are correlated with political affiliation, with some people being taller than others being shorter. In many ways, we try to fit ourselves into a cultural or national identity, even when our actual self is completely different.
As we examine differences in height, race, and ethnicity, we also see differences in cultural norms and expectations across the board. Those differences are not innate but are learned, over time, from repetition within a culture. These differences in cultural norms then become cues for other behaviors, including mate selection and sexual orientation. We see these differences not as barriers to equal opportunities but as a means of evolution, as adaptation in response to changing conditions over time.