Hanson, Kristin and O'Dwyer, Emma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1226-0515 (2018) Patriotism and nationalism, left and right: a Q-methodology study of American national identity. Political Psychology, 40 (4). pp. 777-795. ISSN 0162-895X (Print), 1467-9221 (Online) (doi:10.1111/pops.12561)

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Abstract

In the current polarized U.S. political environment, what it means to be a “true American” is increasingly contested. Researchers often look to conceptualizations of patriotism and nationalism to account for national identity; but the extent to which these measures capture current understandings of American identity beyond left and right political divides is unknown. In a novel application of Q-methodology, this study investigates the relationship between patriotism and nationalism measures and participants’ subjective understandings of their national identity. Forty-seven U.S. citizens representing a wide range of ideological positions constructed American identity profiles by ranking 56 statements taken from patriotic and nationalistic operationalizations. The two extracted profiles revealed national identities largely along left/right ideological, not patriotism/nationalism, lines. Further analysis indicated that the political left and right also differently interpret items within patriotism and nationalism measures. These findings highlight the intertwining of American national identity and political ideology; they also cast doubt on the ideological independence and descriptive value of patriotism and nationalism measures.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	national identity; nationalism; patriotism; political ideology; Q-methodology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology J Political Science > JC Political theory
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM) Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Inequalities
Last Modified:	12 May 2022 10:19
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/36069

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