Youth Global Identities in the Framework of a National Conflict. The Case of Catalonia

In Catalonia, the relevant presence of a national sub-State identity has historically resulted in the consolidation of dual or multiple identities. This more complex but also more flexible existence of national identities has facilitated the incorporation of European and global identities. However, for almost 10 years, the political conflict between Catalonia and Spain may be altering the balances of this kaleidoscope of multiple identities. Specifically, the younger generations have lived their political socialization in a context of great polarization and debate on national identifications. This could be causing, on the one hand, a polarization in the Catalan and Spanish identities and a strengthening of these national identifications. However, derived from a certain tiredness of the national political conflict, among other factors, the opposite phenomenon could also appear with a greater importance of global identities. In the paper we analyse the relationship established between the different identities (local, national Catalan and Spanish, European and global) among young people. In this way we want to draw a map of relationships between identities to understand how the multiple identities of young people are configured. In particular, we are interested in understanding the relationships of the different national identities with the global identity. The analysis will also incorporate the role of socio-economic determinants and the effect of different cultural practices to explain the different identity orientations. To carry out the analysis we use a mixed methods strategy with data from the CHIEF project. Specifically, we combine the results of a survey of 2000 16-year-old students from 30 secondary schools of Catalonia with 60 in-depth interviews to young people from some of these schools.