Country-level variables and imagined national communities within EU-15 countries

This study analyses to what extent there are similarities and differences between EU-15 countries with regard to their citizens’ national identities; as well as the influence of country-level variables on identity patterns within clusters of countries. It uses different quantitative techniques and the European Values Study 2008 data release. First, clusters of countries are formed using identity variables. Next, country-level variables dealing with economic performance, politics, history and ethnic-cultural traits are operationalized and tested through categorical regression and discriminant analysis. Results confirm that there are clusters of countries with particular configurations of identity patterns and that country-level variables influence identity.