Assessing the Link Between Collective Identity, Political Culture and the Political System

Abstract

This panel focuses on the conceptualisation and empirical analysis of the link between ‘collective identity’, ‘political culture’ and ‘political systems’. The conceptualisation of the link between ‘collective identity’ and ‘political systems’ is still insufficient, because many authors just briefly refer to David Easton – who claimed a strong ’we-feeling’ to be a precondition for a political system's persistence – before focusing on collective identities. Yet, several questions remain open: What kind of collective identification is relevant for a political system's persistence? How about the effects of collective identity concerning other aspects of the system, e.g. its quality or its legitimacy? Is there empirical evidence supporting the assumed (unidirectional) effect? Furthermore, the theoretical and empirical status of ‘political culture’ – traditionally considered a central factor of a political regime’s persistence – remains unclear and it is often simply equated with ‘political identity’. Is collective identity to be considered identical with or a part of political culture or should one conceive differently of the link of these two concepts? In order to treat these questions, one has to take into account the fact that the current discussions on political identity and/or political culture feature very different approaches: Among others, ‘subjective’ definitions are concurring with ‘objective’ definitions of identity and ‘quantitative’ perspectives on ‘political culture’ are opposed to ‘qualitative’ approaches. This plurality triggers different conclusions concerning the above mentioned relationships and inhibits complementary research as long as it remains implicit. How can this heterogeneity of approaches be structured in a way that fosters conceptual and methodological integration and the cumulative production of knowledge? Papers treating one of these questions theoretically and/or empirically are welcome to this panel.

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