The Swiss: A Political Nation?
Journal
Swiss Political Science Review
ISSN
1424-7755
ISSN-Digital
1662-6370
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2011-11-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Proponents of constitutional patriotism advocate the promotion of a political national identity. Whether a national identity founded on common political values is viable, however, remains a matter of dispute. The Swiss nation is one of the few empirical cases cited by those who argue that a political national identity can be a sufficient guarantor of institutional stability and social coherence; indeed, Switzerland is widely regarded as a prototype of the political nation. The aim of our analysis is to empirically test this claim. In doing so, we rely on classical typologies of national identity. We propose to use a more finely graded typology than the usual dichotomies, however - one which allows for combined types - and to focus on individual perceptions of national identity at the mass- and elite-levels. The empirical analysis of whether the Swiss nation can correctly be classified as a political nation draws on data from mass and MP surveys. Our conclusion is that the Swiss imagine their nation in both political and cultural terms, and the essence of their cultural identity is Swiss linguistic pluralism and regional diversity.
Language
English
Keywords
Switzerland
national identity
members of parliament
constitutional patriotism
survey data
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Wiley
Publisher place
Hoboken, NJ [u.a.]
Volume
17
Number
4
Start page
394
End page
416
Pages
23
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
227968