Clio Zumwalt

Abstract

Nationalism is an understudied subject within the sociological field, as well as the causes of one’s sense of nationalism and their perceived nationalism within others. There are benefits that an individual experiences when they themselves have a strong sense of nationalism and a strong American national identity, as well as the benefits that others received when they are considered to have a strong American character. This study examined the influences that gender, race, class, education, and religion have on one’s perceptions of nationalism within others and which of these factors has the most and least profound influence. In-depth secondary analysis of the World Values Survey, sixth-wave data in the United States was conducted, with a sample of 2232 responses used to explore these relationships. The intolerance of people different from the majority, especially non-whites and non-Christians, proved to have a significant association with their perceptions of nationalism in others. Race was the least the influential on this nationalism and religion had the most influence on this perception, both being measured against levels of American pride, which is directly linked to nationalism. This study concluded that despite religion being the most significant, all five of my variables, class, race, gender, education, and religion, showed some significance in their intolerances of people that were non-white, non-Christian, and non-English speaking.