State identity in Europe today: Some determinants

• Published in: Journal of Public Governance Vol. 44; no. 44; pp. 5 - 28
• Main Authors: Raciborski, Jacek, Rafałowski, Wojciech
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Krakow Cracow University of Economics and Scholar Publishing House 2018; Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie we współpracy z Wydawnictwem Naukowym Scholar; Cracow University of Economics Małopolska School of Public Administration
• Subjects: Citizens; Civil Society; Classification; Communism; Differentiation; Economic underdevelopment; Living conditions; National identity; Political Theory; Politics / Political Sciences; Research design; Social capital; Social Sciences; national identity; social capital; state identity; communist legacy; postcommunist countries
• ISSN: 1898-3529; 2956-6061; 2956-6398
• DOI: 10.15678/ZP.2018.44.2.01

Objectives: The article is aimed at studying the differentiation of the strength of state identity in selected European countries and attempts to explain the observed tendencies. Research Design Methods: The empirical part is based upon three waves of the International Social Survey Programme entitled ‘National Identity’. Findings: The results show that state identities in Western European countries are well-developed. Central/Eastern European societies are characterised by lower levels of state identity than Western European ones. We attribute this phenomenon to legacies of the past, especially the to many centuries of economic underdevelopment of the region that was enhanced increased by communism and low levels of social capital in Eastern European societies. Contribution: This study links the state identity of citizens of European countries with their living conditions and past legacies. Article Classification: Research article JEL classification: H1, H4, P3, P5