Building a National Identity in the Context of Great Power Competition and Its Implications for Vietnam

Abstract

In the context of the contemporary world’s transition toward multipolarity, strategic competition among major powers has become increasingly complex, extending beyond material power to the realms of perceptions, norms, and identity. From a constructivist perspective, this article examines national identity as a crucial intersubjective factor shaping the formation of interests and the orientation of state behavior in the international system. Through an analysis of the constructivist theoretical framework and a reference to the Russia–Ukraine crisis, the article demonstrates that national identity construction unfolds through multidimensional interactions among actors and power structures, functioning both as a resource for national positioning and, if lacking proactivity and balance, as a factor that may constrain strategic space. On this basis, the article highlights several issues of reference value for safeguarding Vietnam’s national interests and security in the context of deep international integration.