Synopsis

This paper presents a dialectic between two socio-political identity frameworks. The first framework rest on search for a ‘Single Dominant Identity’ while the second permits ‘Multiple Overlapping Identities’ [1]. The dialectic is conducted (metaphorically) among 400,000 men and women who were chosen statistically from 102 countries of the world. They were thus representative of over 90% of the entire world’s population. The dialectic between them was conducted from the perspective of their self-identified civilizations; Christianity, Islam, a-religion, Hinduism, Buddhism and Local Religion [2].

Footer Notes:

[1] In our theoretical work on the subject under the ‘Dialectics of world Order Project (DOWO)’ we specify it even further by referring to such an identity framework with 5 such characteristics. Multiple, Overlapping, interpreted, completing and open-ended.

[2] Together constituting around 95% of all self-identified civilizational categories.

Part I Findings

In theory, modern states assume that the identity of the national state will supersede both sub-national and supra-national or transnational socio-political identities. The citizen of a modern nation state is expected to morph his and her ‘other identities’ under a single and common umbrella of the national identity. It sees an essential sign of ‘patriotism’ as obligated to the ‘motherland’.

Empirical evidence from global public opinion surveys suggests a more complicated picture, when compared to the simple theoretical framework of a single over-arching national identity. This paper is an attempt to explode a wide range of ‘citizen’ identities; and examine their role in the identity priorities of national citizens in the twenty first century.

We begin by examining the findings two very large datasets of opinion surveys, the first put together by the Gallup International Association, and the second by the World Value Survey. The former dataset comprise data from a single year, 2014; while the latter is a collection of opinions gather over a longer period spanning over a forty-year, 1980-2020. Both are representative of world opinion; their technical details are elaborately explained and available.

In a nutshell survey data suggests that while the theoretical construct of an overarching national-state identity captures the imagination of nearly half of the global population, it competes with at-least four others equally passionately held identities. However, the competition operates in a complex mode. It does not fit a simple mode. It does not fit a simple multi-choice framework where the citizens' identities can be melted into a single shape and form. In this following page we shall begin with our finding through the eye of single dominant identity framework, and the proceed with a second section on qualifying it by presenting findings emerge from a multi-identity framework.

Finding from single Identity Framework

A globally represented survey of 61,000 men and women from 65 countries of the world was asked the following question “Which of the following is most important to you?” In response to this question, 54% respondent report their state identity as most important, 21% report ethnic-local identity, 14% report religious identity, 5% report their geographic (Supra-National) identity and 6% report none of these can be classified as individual identity given in table 1.

Table # 1. Foremost ‘Political’ Identity

Notable difference across civilizations

Global Average conceal notable relational and civilizational variations six major self-identified civilizations, covering more than 90% of world population, the following picture emerges:

Table # 2: Foremost ‘National’ Identity

As the data suggest the worldwide Muslim communities are the least likely to describe their national stats 27% as their foremost identity. At the other end of the spectrum are the adherents of modern a-religious civilization among whom 68% describe their national-state as the foremost identity. To get a complete picture of which other identities with ‘national’ identity, the following table 3 would help.

Table # 3. Five Most important socio-Political identities world-wide (In a unitary framework)

Over-lapping Socio-Political identities

Empirical evidence suggests that human beings keep multiple identities which overlap with each other in a complex fashion. Thus, when asked to describe their passion for multiple identities without choosing only one of them the following picture emerges.

While focusing on choosing only one from a given set of five identities the gap between Muslims and other civilizations is wide. While 82% of Muslim regard ‘National State’ as their foremost identity, the comparable average figure for other major civilizations is 85%, a gap of 3%. This gap disappears when their view is sought on the national state in multiple several other identity markers[3]. The civilizational difference when the concept of overlapping identities is permitted is shown in the table below.

Footer Note:

[3] Unfortunately, the world Values Survey dataset (1980-2020) which is the source of discussion on overlapping identities does not include religion as a category. It asks its question about being a citizen of the world, Continent, Country, Local Community and Simply as an Autonomous Individual.

Table # 4. A commitment among adherents of various civilizations for being simultaneously a ‘citizen’ of

The Commitment of Muslim Civilizations to “National” States in an overlapping identitY framework

While worldwide Muslims choose their religion Islam over their respective national states by a notable margin of 22% (religion 49%; National State 27%), their pride in their national states combined with a commitment to fight for their country in times of war is comparable, even higher, then other civilizations.

Table # 5: Taking Pride and Willingness to fight for their national states in war time

PART II GLOBAL MUSLIM IDENTITY ON FIVE INDICES in a civilizational Analysis Framework

Index # 1 (National State As Identity)

Except for the Muslim Civilization, the (National) State as identity Scores the highest. The following are the relevant index figures

Table # 6. Nation State as Identity across Civilizations

Index # 2 (Supranational) Religion As Identity

Religion as the foremost identity scores very low at a global level, again except for the worldwide Muslim civilization.