MEASUREMENT OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN CONFLICT ZONES USING FACTORIAL INVARIANCE

Abstract

Grasping the essence of national identity in conflict-affected regions is vital in shaping peacebuilding, governance, and reconciliation strategies. It, however, involves using traditional psychometric techniques which may not yield meaningful results across varying cultural and political contexts. This research investigates the national identity scale and its factorial invariance in regions impacted by conflict. It also seeks to find out whether the national identity construct is harmoniously comparable, considering “displaced citizens, ethnic minorities, and populations in militarized regions” using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). 1,200 respondents from three geopolitical conflict areas were surveyed in regard to nation attachment, cultural affiliation, and civic pride. The findings suggest the existence of partial metric invariance, meaning that some shared underlying universe was unevenly contextualized, shaped by differing context-specific factors. This research strongly argues the need to rethink and refine strategies of post-conflict, or active-conflict, culturally sensitive regions. The results enhance the theoretical and practical aspects of conflict studies, particularly with regard to survey construction, policymaking, and identity-focused strategies.