Beyond us versus them: How national identities influence attitudes formation in response to nation-disturbing events

• In Event: 3151 - Theory Section Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 5. Identity Construction, Social Differentiation and Conflict – A

Abstract

How do national identities influence public attitudes about major events? In contrast to the dominant approach, which highlights the “us versus them” distinction and is only relevant for explaining confrontations with external "others," the current theoretical framework proposes that attitudes are formed via “us versus Us” comparisons that assess the nation’s present in relation to its idealized form as depicted national narratives. The new theoretical framework integrates cutting-edge sociological conceptualization of national identities as complex, contested, and situated, with sociological theory of emotions. It suggests that in response to "nation-disturbing events," which threaten or promise to alter the perceived core elements of the nation, strong affective reactions motivate attitudinal shifts. However, which affective reaction individuals experience depends on the meaning they attribute to events vis-à-vis competing idealizations of the nation. The conclusion also discusses how national identities can change in response to nation-disturbing events.

Author

• Yuval Feinstein, University of Haifa