THE MYTH OF POSTNATIONAL IDENTITY - POPULAR SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN UNIFICATION

The study of popular support for unification of Europe raises issues a bout the role of identification with national interests versus support fbr postnational identity in determining attitudes across countries a nd over time. It also raises issues about the roles of traditional cle avages in class position and partisan ideological views versus differe nces in postmaterialist values in determining support for unification. Using data for individuals sampled within member-states of the Europe an Community in 1982, 1986, 1989, and 1992, the analyses show persiste nt differences between countries in their support even after equalizin g for national differences in sociodemographic, ideological, and value priority variables over the 10-year time span of the study, which fav ors theoretical arguments for the continued importance of national ide ntity.