1. Core Legal Answer & Context: Nationality is the legal bond between an individual and a state, which confers upon the individual the status of a citizen of that state and entails reciprocal rights and duties. It is the legal link that determines the state to which an individual owes allegiance and from which they are entitled to protection. Nationality is primarily a matter of domestic law, but international law sets certain limits and principles, particularly concerning statelessness and human rights.

Modes of Acquisition of Nationality:

1. Jus Soli (Law of the Soil): Nationality acquired by birth within the territory of a state, regardless of the nationality of the parents. Common in countries like the United States and Canada.
2. Jus Sanguinis (Law of the Blood): Nationality acquired by descent from a national, regardless of the place of birth. Common in many European and Asian countries.
3. Naturalization: The process by which a state grants its nationality to a foreign national. This usually involves fulfilling certain conditions such as residence, language proficiency, good character, and an oath of allegiance.
4. Marriage: Historically, marriage to a national could automatically confer nationality or make it easier to acquire. Modern trends emphasize independent nationality.
5. Adoption: A child adopted by a national may acquire the nationality of the adoptive parent(s).
6. Cession or Annexation of Territory: When territory is transferred from one state to another, the inhabitants typically acquire the nationality of the acquiring state.

Modes of Loss of Nationality:

1. Renunciation: A voluntary act by an individual to give up their nationality, often required when acquiring another nationality.
2. Deprivation/Denationalization: Involuntary loss of nationality imposed by the state, usually for reasons such as disloyalty, fraud in obtaining nationality, or service in a foreign military. International law limits arbitrary deprivation to prevent statelessness.
3. Substitution: Automatic loss of original nationality upon acquiring a new one, especially in states that do not permit dual nationality.
4. Expatriation: A broad term encompassing voluntary abandonment of nationality, often through prolonged residence abroad or taking up foreign public office.

Position of Nationality of Married Women: Historically, the nationality of married women was often dependent on that of their husbands. Many national laws stipulated that a woman automatically acquired her husband's nationality upon marriage or lost her own if she married a foreign national. This practice often led to statelessness or forced changes in nationality, violating women's autonomy.

However, modern international law and progressive national legislation have largely moved away from this discriminatory practice. Key developments include:

• Convention on the Nationality of Married Women (1957): This convention aimed to ensure that neither the celebration nor the dissolution of marriage, nor the change of nationality by the husband during marriage, shall automatically affect the nationality of the wife. It promotes the principle of independent nationality for married women.
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979): Article 9 of CEDAW explicitly states that States Parties shall grant women equal rights with men with respect to the acquisition, change, or retention of their nationality and shall ensure that neither marriage to an alien nor change of nationality by the husband during marriage shall automatically change the nationality of the wife, render her stateless, or force upon her the nationality of the husband.

Today, the prevailing international norm and the trend in national laws is to recognize the independent nationality of married women, allowing them to retain their nationality upon marriage to a foreign national or to acquire their spouse's nationality through naturalization processes, without automatic imposition or loss.

2. Relevant Statutes and Sections:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 15: 'Everyone has the right to a nationality. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.').
• Convention on the Nationality of Married Women (1957).
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979), Article 9.

3. Important Landmark Cases:

• Nottebohm Case (Liechtenstein v. Guatemala) (ICJ, 1955): While not directly about married women, this case is fundamental to the concept of nationality in international law. The ICJ ruled that for a state to claim diplomatic protection for an individual, there must be a 'genuine link' between the individual and the state of nationality. This case underscores that while nationality is a matter of domestic law, its recognition by other states in the international sphere may depend on its genuineness.

4. Clear Conclusion: Nationality is a crucial legal bond, primarily governed by state law but increasingly influenced by international human rights principles. While states retain discretion over acquisition and loss, the international community, through conventions like the 1957 Convention on the Nationality of Married Women and CEDAW, has strongly advocated for and largely achieved the principle of independent nationality for married women, ensuring equality and preventing statelessness.