Rethinking the Nation Beyond Anthropocentrism: An Eco-Nation Proposal

This study argues that the concept of "nation" has historically been defined with an anthropocentric content and that this approach proves insufficient in light of contemporary ecological and technological conditions. It proposes an ontological redefinition of belonging as existential co-presence (Mitsein) and introduces the concept of the "eco-nation" as a multi-layered structure of mutual interdependence among humans, non-human beings, and ecological systems. The article further argues that national belonging should be understood through relations of ecological interdependence extending beyond exclusively human communities. By situating this proposal within the existing literature on bioregionalism, process ontology, and actor-network theory, the study reconceptualizes the nation as a relational and ecological framework of belonging rather than an exclusively anthropocentric political community.