Dr. Vinícius G. Rodrigues Vieira

11 June 2026

Identity Capital and the Return of Geopolitics: Understanding Statecraft in an Age of Fragmentation

In the ongoing strategic rivalry between the United States and China, much attention has been paid to tariffs, export restrictions, industrial policies, and the reconfiguration of global supply chains. But these advances cannot be explained solely in terms of material or economic factors. These phenomena arise not only from the struggle over material resources but also reflect more profound tensions over issues of identity and sovereignty. The notion of “identity capital”, as identified in my book Shaping Nations and Markets: Identity Capital, Trade, and the Populist Rage, helps us understand the importance of narratives of nationhood in shaping economic and geopolitical dynamics.