Including Oneself and Including Others: Who Belongs in My Country?

Abstract

To be a full member of a country, must one have citizenship, the same ethnic or racial background, or the same religion as most citizens? What do people of different statuses believe about the criteria for inclusion? To answer these questions, the authors analyze the 2003 International Social Survey Programme survey on national identity, focusing on ten wealthy, democratic countries. They find a series of mismatches. A strong sense of being included is often coupled with a desire to exclude others. Countries with extreme public views are not always the countries with political controversy over inclusion. Views of citizens or members of the mainstream religion or race often differ from views of relative outsiders. Countries often cluster in ways that violate standard assumptions about geographic, cultural, or political affinities. Enjoying high status does not guarantee feeling included or seeking to include others. Given these mismatches, it is no surprise that politics and policies around inclusion are contentious, unstable, and fascinating.