Final answer:
Option (B), Benedict Anderson describes nations as imagined communities, where a sense of shared identity is constructed by cultural elements, state practices, and mass media.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Benedict Anderson, a nation is an imagined community, which means that while it is not tangible, it is constructed through shared beliefs, practices, and media. This concept does not mean that nations are simply imaginary; they manifest in very real consequences such as patriotism and national struggle. Anderson's argument is that the imagined nature of communities does not make them less real in terms of the political, emotional, and social bonds they forge among people.
In his view, the idea of a nation is built on cultural elements and a sense of belonging, which is fostered through a variety of state practices and mass media influence. This collective identity encompasses shared language, values, origin stories, and destinies, and it is memorialized through rituals, holidays, and symbols.
Imagined communities as a concept emphasizes the creation of national identities beyond mere physical or historical aspects, incorporating a powerful psychological element that unites otherwise disconnected individuals. Indeed, the state plays a significant role in reinforcing this sense of peoplehood through institutions such as schools, elections, and the media, which uphold and disseminate the narrative of commonality. Additionally, in the modern world, globalization has led to the development of transnational communities that interact and coexist alongside nation-states, further showing the adaptability of the idea of 'nation' beyond fixed borders.