This article explores the role of others in the (re-)definition of nat
ional identity. A brief review of dominant theories of nationalism sho
ws that the existence of the 'other' is an implicit assumption made by
most scholars. Nevertheless, the relationship between the nation and
the other remains largely unexplored. However, national identity is de
fined not only from within, namely from the features that fellow-natio
nals share in common but also from without, that is, through distingui
shing and differentiating the nation from other nations or ethnic grou
ps. National identity becomes meaningful only through the contrast wit
h others. This article introduces the notion of 'significant others' t
o investigate the ways in which others may condition the formation or
lead to a transformation of the identity of the ingroup. The Macedonia
n question and the emergence of a new Greek nationalism is used as a c
ase-study to highlight the role of significant others in shaping the i
dentity of the nation.