On Measuring National Identity

Abstract

This paper argues that national identity and state stability have a close contingent relationship, analogous to the mind/body relationship, such that a strong sense of national identity will be congruent with a highly stable state, and vice versa. If an index of the strength of national identity can be devised, then it will have some predictive capability in relation to the stability and durability of states. A methodology is proposed and evaluated. Input to the project from scholars in other fields is invited.