A Sense of National Identity: Fact or Artefact?

Abstract

Four approaches which have been used to assess national allegiance among Protestant and Catholics in Northern Ireland are briefly reviewed. Three of these techniques (bipolar nationality rating scales; questions about ‘Your Country’; and self-descriptions in response to open-ended questions) were applied to 135 secondary intermediate pupils, half of whom were Catholic, half Protestant; and half from city schools, half from country town schools. Results suggests that the pattern of national identification is far more complex than is often realized. Different methods of investigation can yield discrepant results.