Quintranationality

Quintranationality is a concept within Urcean identity which describes the relationship between the five primary constituent ethnic groups of Urcea - Riparians, Gassavelians, Caens, Garáns, and Anglos - to Urcea itself. In brief, the concept essentially describes that each of the five people, though ethnically distinctive, share a single nationality, that of the Urcean nationality. Accordingly, under quintranationality, Urcea is a nation state insofar as it has one state with five peoples who belong collectively as a nation.

The concept emerged during the 19th century period of romantic nationalism, as Urcean thinkers and leaders contemplated the meaning of their own state. While Riparian Urceans had always been predominant within the state, many of the periphery ethnic groups - especially the Caens - had been part of the state ruled by the Julian dynasty for many centuries, and thus had no true inclination towards independent nationhood. Consequently, the idea was developed primarily by both Riparian and Caenish nationalists as an inclusive, rather than exclusive, definition of nationality, and was gradually integrated into Urcean society through both education and popular culture. The idea developed beyond the two primary groups to also include Urcea's three other large minority groups, each of whom (the Garáns, Anglos, and Gassavelians) had preceding histories of statehood and independence, and as such the Aedanicad era Urcean government actively pursued quintranational thinking in opposition to nationalist tendencies within these groups. Though the distinct idea of a quintranational Urcea was explicitly created during the 19th century, the actual process of creating it - known often as "Late Urceanization" - extends back to the beginning of the realm in 1098.

Today, quintranationality exists largely as an academic description of the creation of Urcean nationality rather than as something understood intrinsically or socially by Urceans. When asked by polling organizations "To what people do you belong?", most non-Riparian Urceans overwhelmingly respond "Urcean". As such, the integration of the local ethnic identity into the Urcean national identity has been observed by scholars to be largely complete. Relations between the various groups within the Urcean national identity typically are not colored by discrimination or animosity, though some scholars have noted a degree of discrimination and less-warm relations between the various non-Riparian of the five peoples (i.e. between a Caen and a Gassavelian); these microaggressive behaviors are not sufficiently common or large enough to have a significant body of academic study or popular commentary or awareness on them.

The primary political lens through which quintranationality is viewed is the theoretical legal structure of Urcea as a federal union, whereby the Apostolic King of Urcea rules the people of Urcea through union. Accordingly, the full title of the Apostolic King refers to his role as King of Urcea, Elector of Canaery, King of the Ængles and the Uzdehzani (Gassavelians), and Grand Duke of Carolina (Garáns), reflecting his role as ruler of all five peoples.

Significant attention and criticism towards the idea of quintranationality by minority groups who are not included within the five. Most prominently among these are the Derian people living primarily in Eastvale, who historically have agitated against continued rule from Urceopolis and their own cultural marginalization. Also excluded are the so-called Cisionian people, a self-proclaimed ethnic group which can be described best as Protestant Riparians. Finally, the people of Halfway specifically and the Islands generally are also excluded from the five named groups, though these peoples have traditionally experienced the same degree of integration and national identification with Urcea as the other primary groups.

Identity

Late Urceanization

"Late" Urceanization refers to any continuation of the process of the growth and adaptation of Urcean identity by groups of people at any time following the 9th century. Subjects of late Urceanization tend to be groups living in Urcea's geographic periphery and ones incorporated into the country following the Golden Bull of 1098. Accordingly, these groups tend to have entirely different historical origins than the "valley Urceans" and also retain a partially separate identity. These groups - primarily the Caens, Gassavelians, and Garán peoples - nonetheless view themselves as Urcean under varying models of dual identity.

Dual identity

Dual identity is a sociological phenomenon prevalent among the groups of people who were subject to "late" Urceanization. People in these groups tend to view themselves as Urcean, both in terms of nationality as well as ethnicity, in addition to their core held ethnic view of themselves as a distinct people. While the relationship between Urcean nationality and these groups is fairly straight forward due to its long political control over their homelands, scholars and cultural observers have long been interested in what sense these groups consider themselves ethnically Urcean. The primary justification behind dual identity theory among its adherents is that, even if history separated the development of specific cultural mores and identity between the residents of the Valley and residents of the periphery, the original "ingredients" of these cultural groups are all the same. By way of example, this theory holds that a Gassavelian and a "valley Urcean" share ultimately the same origin point in ancient Gaelic peoples, even if the Gassavelians were later primarily influenced by people from Audonia while Valley residents were influenced by settlers from Adonerum.

Limitations

Efforts by the Government of Urcea as well as cultural exchanges as part of the Levantine Union have largely failed to include people adhering to Derian identity - particularly those of Urcean nationality living in Transionia - within dual identity structure. Scholars have posited that the relative recentness of Transionia's incorporation, combined with severe ethnic tensions in and around Dericania since 1800, have made efforts at identity integration difficult.

Efforts intended to accelerate the incorporation of Ænglish people within the Urcean identity following the incorporation of Ænglasmarch only met limited success, in part due to the persistent existence of the Ænglish people outside of Urcea in what would become Anglei as well as a lasting legacy on the culture of Hollona and Diorisia. Accordingly, residents of Ænglasmarch are divided among those who have retained their identity and those who have partly integrated into Urcean identity.

Developing a quintranational Urcea

The process of developing a quintratnational country in Urcea dates back to the very establishment of the country following the Golden Bull of 1098.