Echoes of place: Mapping Europe's cultural mosaic - A theoretical framework for understanding regional characterization

Roland Brandtjen

IU Discussion Papers - Business & Management from IU International University of Applied Sciences

Abstract: This study proposes a comprehensive theoretical framework for regional identity formation across 95 European regions integrating Social Identity Theory, constructivist approaches, and nested identity theory. Using virtual snowball sampling from 2019 to 2024, participants selected their region's most salient characteristic among language, history, culture, societal norms, political autonomy, and economic independence. Findings show culture as the dominant identifier in 64% of regions, history in 26%, with notable language prominence in Spanish regions and varied autonomy emphasis in microstates and small European territories. Demographic correlations reveal stronger cultural identification among younger and economically vulnerable groups, whereas older participants favoured societal norms. These results support social identity and constructivist models, highlighting cultural identity's role as a stable bridge between local and supranational attachments and suggesting policy implications for fostering territorial cohesion within European integration.

Keywords: Regional Identity Formation; Social Identity Theory; Cultural Identity; Nested Identity; European Integration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/327996/1/1937607208.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:iubhbm:327996

DOI: 10.56250/4078

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IU Discussion Papers - Business & Management from IU International University of Applied Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics ().