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Update to a comprehensive survey of 43 contemporary 18th-century images of the United States flag ran in NAVA News 167 (April-June 2000), pp. 6–12.

See NAVA News 203: 2-3

Оваа книга претставува докторска теза одбранета во јули 2018 година, на Универзитетот „Св. Кирил и Методиј“, Институт за национална историја. Комисијата за одбрана ја предводеше проф. д-р Тодор Чепеганов, проследено со менторот, проф. д-р Драгица Поповска, и членовите: проф. д-р Катерина Мирчевска, проф. д-р Билјана Ристовска-Јосифовска, проф. д-р Маја Ангеловска-Панова. Оваа книга ги истражува лавот и сонцето кои како симболи се појавуваат во материјалната и духовната култура во Македонија од памтивек, како и нивната употреба на знамиња и грбови поврзани со Македонија. Таа опфаќа два главни периода, периодот пред формирањето на македонската држава, до 1944 година и периодот до 2017 година. Темата е мултидисциплинарна, така што се земаат предвид етнолошките, историските, социјалните, социолошките, правните и политичките аспекти. Најнапред е дадена теоретската рамка за симболите и општеството, која опфаќа теоретски дел за семиотиката, грбот и знамето и нивната функција во општеството, како и процесот на избор на амблеми и примена на нивните грбови и знамиња. Исто така се воведени и принципите на хералдиката, вексилологијата. Понатаму е разгледан периодот до 1944 година, кој ги покрива сонцето и лавот како симболи во духовната и материјалната култура, како и во хералдиката и вексилологијата. Фокусот е на лавот во припишаните грбови и знамиња на Александар Велики во средновеков-на Европа и таканаречениот земски грб на Македонија во илирската хералдика, како и апликацијата на сонцето и лавот на знамињата за време на Националното движење во 19 век. По формирањето на македонската држава, во рамки на Југославија во 1944 година, се разгледани социо-политичкиот и културниот контекст на појавата на сонцето во државните симболи на СР Македонија, химната и грбот. Разгледана е и популаризацијата на лавот како симбол на Македонија и на сонцето и лавот како симболи што ги користи и македонската дијаспора. Во период по осамостојувањето 1991 година, се проучени социо-политичкиот контекст на изборот на симболите, и симболизацијата на политичките партии. Опфатен е парламентарниот процес за изборот на симболи на Република Македонија, вклучувајќи ги и предлозите за грб и знамето на државата. Тука се вклучени и симболите на сонцето и лавот на националното знаме и грбот во поединечни наративи, перцепции и емоции. На крај е разгледана современата македонска територијална хералдика и вексилологија и употребата на сонцето на грбовите и знамињата на општините во Република Македонија. Истражувањето вклучува анализа на изворите, описи и типизација на симболите и нивната категоризација. Ова книга, заедно со нејзиниот претходник, книгата „Симболите на Македонија“ ќе придонесе за збогатување на теоријата и практиката на македонската хералдика и вексилологија и поставување теоретска рамка за проучување на симболите како елементи на колективниот идентитет, што ќе станат државни симболи преку развојот на македонската државност. This book represents a doctoral thesis defended in July 2018, at the University of St. Cyril and Methodius, Institute of National History. The defense committee was led by Prof. Dr. Todor Chepeganov, followed by the mentor, Prof. Dr. Dragica Popovska, and the members: Prof. Dr. Katerina Mirchevska, Prof. Dr. Biljana RistovskaJosifovska, Prof. Dr. Maja Angelovska-Panova.This book explores the lion and the sun, which have appeared as symbols in the material and spiritual culture of Macedonia since time immemorial, as well as their use on flags and coats of arms associated with Macedonia. It covers two main periods, the period before the formation of the Macedonian state, until 1944, and the period until 2017. The topic is multidisciplinary, so that ethnological, historical, social, sociological, legal and political aspects are taken into account.First, the theoretical framework for symbols and society is given, which includes a theoretical section on semiotics, the coat of arms and the flag and their function in society, as well as the process of choosing emblems and applying them to their coats of arms and flags. The principles of heraldry and vexillology are also introduced. The period up to 1944 is further examined, covering the sun and the lion as symbols in spiritual and material culture, as well as in heraldry and vexillology. The focus is on the lion in the coats of arms attributed to Alexander the Great in medieval Europe and the so-called Land coat of arms of Macedonia in Illyrian heraldry, as well as the application of the sun and the lion on flags during the National Movement in the 19th century. After the formation of the Macedonian state, within Yugoslavia in 1944, the socio-political and cultural context of the appearance of the sun in the state symbols of the SR Macedonia, the anthem and the coat of arms, is examined. The popularization of the lion as a symbol of Macedonia and of the sun and the lion as symbols used by the Macedonian diaspora is also examined. In the period after independence in 1991, the socio-political context of the choice of symbols and the symbolization of political parties is studied. The parliamentary process for the selection of symbols of the Republic of Macedonia is covered, including the proposals for the coat of arms and the flag of the state. This includes the symbols of the sun and the lion on the national flag and coat of arms in individual narratives, perceptions and emotions. Finally, contemporary Macedonian territorial heraldry and vexillology and the use of the sun on the coats of arms and flags of municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia are examined. The research includes analysis of sources, descriptions and typification of symbols and their categorization. This book, together with its predecessor, the book "Symbols of Macedonia", will contribute to enriching the theory and practice of Macedonian heraldry and vexillology and setting a theoretical framework for the study of symbols as elements of collective identity, which will become state symbols through the development of Macedonian statehood.

This chapter first examines the history and role of the Bulgarian flag in the constitution of Bulgarian national identity, a process which began in the second half of the nineteenth century. It then proposes a semiotic model of the identity, one that centers its constructed character and flexibility while performing social interactions. A basic divide between the communicative resources of the self places a person’s individual characteristics in opposition to collective ones. The national flag and colors are interpreted among the expressive forms of the collective identity, in the subcategory of constitutive features for which an individual has no choice. An interpretation of the value flows for identity in social intercourse follows, modeled as an “ego economy” where the reception and production of recognition from and for others is seen as an “ego currency”. This model demonstrates that the particular efficacy of national symbols is amplified by the efficacy of the “nationalist libido”. The use of the nationalist flags, colors, symbols, and narrative in new media thus prepare a fertile ground for the emerging digital populism, one that is masterfully employed by right-wing figures with significant political results and disquieting prospects for the future.

This paper is a semiotics analysis of national symbols, especially national flags, seeking to insert its emergence in the context of the formation of the modern National States. The methodological approach is critical and interdisciplinary, capitalising on the contributions of Semiotics, History, Sociology and Philosophy. The flag of Brazil is analysed in a detailed manner, as a complex symbol, formed of shapes, colours, natural elements and words. From the historical point of view, the flag of Brazil is a symbol, which safeguards the past of the Brazilian Empire inside the symbol of the Republic of Brazil. From the semiotic point of view, one can see in the plan of expression a set of symbols, which allows us to realise the level of significance, there lying the dialectical conflicts of the history of Brazil. From the point of view of the current political scene, it seeks to analyse the new and main role played by the national flag, in its re-emergence among many demonstrations, and the rebirth of nationalism, within the context of economical, moral and political crises. This allows us to assess the meaning of Brazilian modernity and its future challenges.

This chapter looks at the role of flags as national symbols in Hungary. It does so through three case studies. The first flag discussed is the current national colours (red, white and green). It is followed by the so-called ‘Árpád stripes’ (red and white), the colours attributed to the first royal dynasty of Hungary. Finally, the flag of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, is examined from a historical perspective, with special focus on its relationship with the national colours.

All states have a flag, the material symbol of their sovereignty. But in law, the status of this flag differs from one country to another: some incorporate it into their Constitution (France), others do not (U.S.A., Great Britain) and the protection against insults differs from one country to another. The legal status of the French flag has varied over an eventful history, but today the constitutional recognition of the symbol and its legal protection allow the strong representation of French sovereignty and the rights to which the nation is attached. However, the flag of the European Union competes with the French flag. In conclusion, the flag is both sacred and competitive, as it is the national anthem, which is given constitutional protection in France.

Scotland is to the United Kingdom what the Saltire is to the Union Flag. What it means to be Scottish, what form Scottish identity takes, and how the narratives of Scottish identity and belonging have been constructed and have evolved over time is a story woven into the relationship between these two flags. One a symbol of national identity and the other the symbol of a much larger intranational unity, the history of their coming together is one of negotiated settlement, legal and political compromise, a balancing of competing claims for legitimacy and control over the historical discourse. This chapter explores the origin of the Saltire as the national flag of Scotland, its emergence in symbolic representation of resistance to English power and domination, and the struggle between these two nations that is mirrored in the eventual configuration of the Union Flag. The chapter then traces the shifting contours of the social, cultural, and political landscape of Scotland through various narrative ideologies to demonstrate how the contemporary debate over national identity is symbolised in the complex colour-coded representations of these two flags.

This article argues that public schools play a key role in producing and transmitting American civil religion. Data from classroom observations, college-age informants, and the author's experiences reveal that civil religion in schools is manifested in daily rituals such as the pledge of allegiance; in holiday observances, with activities such as music and art; and in the social studies curriculum. Analysis of these data permits one to describe the beliefs, symbols, and rituals of American civil religion. The data further show that the practice of civil religion in schools plays a dual role: while it socializes American youth to a common set of understandings, it also sets off subgroups of Americans whose backgrounds or beliefs prevent them from participating fully in civil religious ceremonies.

When one examines current national anthems and flags, one finds a great deal of variety. What explains this variation? Possible factors include a nation's world-system position and its degree of modernization. Specifically, I analyze the ways in which world-system position and modernization affect the design or configuration—the syntactic structure—of the symbols national leaders adopt to convey their nation's identity. Findings reveal a link between a nation's world-system position and the structure of its symbols. Leaders of core nations adopt more basic anthems and flags than their semiperiphery and periphery counterparts. However, modernization has no such influence.

This paper is designed to provide a critical engagement with Michael Billig's seminal thesis of Banal Nationalism (1995), perhaps the most influential study of everyday forms of nationhood. With an increasing number now focusing on the (re) production, dissemination and negotiation of the national through routine texts and practices (cf Foster, 2002; Edensor, 2002; Madianou, 2005; Brubaker et al., 2006; Bratsis, 2006) and others employing the concept of banality in relation to non-national (Gorringe, 2006) and post-national identities (Aksoy and Robins, 2002; Szerszynski and Urry, 2002; Beck, 2006; Cram, 2001), it would seem like an opportune moment to assess Billig's contribution and also the limits of his approach.