National Identity During Covid-19: Evidence from the Vaccinated and the Unvaccinated in Israel

Abstract

This article uses the case of the Covid-19 pandemic in Israel to examine whether there are differences in national identity between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated and how national identity is related to public views of the unvaccinated. A three-wave panel survey measuring national attachment, national chauvinism, and constructive patriotism from before and during the pandemic was used to trace differences in dimensions of national identity between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated and to explore their relationship to attitudes toward the unvaccinated. Findings indicated that national attachment was lower among the unvaccinated prior to the pandemic. However, regarding national chauvinism, there were no differences between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated over time; regarding constructive patriotism, there was a difference only in the third wave—at the end of the Covid-19 vaccination drive. The three dimensions of national identity were linked to negative attitudes toward the unvaccinated only at the end of the Covid-19 vaccination drive but not at the peak of the pandemic after the first lockdown. These findings are discussed in light of the current understanding of national identity during the pandemic.