The Nation, National Identity, and National Pride in Europe

This study provides an analysis of national identity in eleven European countries. In the study, national identity is understood as a construct consisting of several elements, four of which are analysed by the authors – territorial identity, the image of the nation, national pride, and love for the nation. With regard to the image of the nation, the authors focus on the elements that define the cultural nation (ethno-nation) and the political nation (state-nation). With regard to territorial identity the authors measure localism, regionalism, patriotism, and cosmopolitism (or Europeanism). They also measure national pride in relation to culture and the performance of a state. Finally, the authors identify two types of love for the nation – nationalism (or chauvinism) and patriotism