Race, Racial Negativity, and Competing Conceptions of American National Identity

• Author: Mark Setzler,John Graeber
• Published date: 01 March 2021
• Date: 01 March 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1532673X20973995
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1532673X20973995

American Politics Research

2021, Vol. 49(2) 171 –185

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/1532673X20973995

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Article

Race and racism have animated discussions of America’s

national identity and belonging since the nation’s inception,

and they continue to do so today. Black Lives Matter, foot-

ball players kneeling during the national anthem, street pro-

tests over police brutality, and the expansion of white

supremacist rhetoric during the Trump era all remind us that

race, racial negativity, and what it means to be fully American

are recurring and intertwined issues in American politics.

Assessments of attitudes about race and conceptions of

national identity also remain central themes in political sci-

ence research. Findings from a variety of disciplines show

that negative attitudes about African Americans as well as

ideas about national identity and belonging predict a range of

political and social attitudes, including views of cultural

minorities and multiculturalism, economic and social equal-

ity, support for political candidates of differing races, opin-

ions on immigration and the treatment of immigrants, and

support for public aid programs (Citrin et al., 1990; Citrin &

Wright, 2009; Knuckey & Orey, 2000; Kunovich, 2009;

Miller & Ali, 2014; Reeskens & Wright, 2013; Schildkraut,

2014; Sears & Kinder, 1971).

Despite the nation’s history of politically, economically,

and socially excluding non-whites, as well as much scholarly

interest in popular notions of what it means to be truly

American, we still have an incomplete picture of how indi-

viduals of different races vary in their views of national iden-

tity. We also have little sense about how inter-group differences

in beliefs about that identity correspond to attitudes about

minoritized racial groups. This study attempts to fill both of

these gaps. First, we investigate the extent to which Americans’

racial backgrounds influence their beliefs about the relative

importance of varying components of national identity.

Specifically, we ask whether Americans from different racial

groups prioritize different elements of American national

identity, testing an argument that whites, Latinos, and African

Americans place more importance on identity attributes dis-

proportionately held by their co-racial peers. We then shift to

an examination of the extent to which variations in beliefs

about national identity predict racial negativity toward African

Americans. Specifically, we explore how white, Latino, and

African American views about what is most important to

American national identity correlate with levels of racial nega-

tivity toward African Americans using widely used measures

of such concepts in political science. Our results reveal that

whites and Latinos who hold more exclusive notions of

national identity exhibit higher levels of racial negativity,

while non-blacks who stress the most inclusive conceptions of

Americanness espouse less racist sentiment.

973995APRXXX10.1177/1532673X20973995American Politics ResearchGraeber and Setzler

research-article2020

1High Point University, High Point, NC, USA

Corresponding Author:

John Graeber, High Point University, 1 University Pkwy, High Point, NC

27262-3598, USA.

Email: jgraeber@highpoint.edu

Race, Racial Negativity, and Competing

Conceptions of American National

Identity

John Graeber1 and Mark Setzler1

Abstract

This study explores differences among African Americans, Latinos, and whites regarding which attributes are most important

to being truly American and how these competing conceptions relate to an individual’s level of racial animus toward African

Americans. Using nationally representative survey data, we first find that Americans of different races vary across six

different components of national identity and do so in ways consistent with theorizing on symbolic racism and inter-group

conflict. Specifically, Americans place more importance on those components shared with indivduals of the same race.

We then analyze how these differing beliefs about national identity influence racial animus. Here, we find robust evidence

that individuals who prioritize the ascriptive, exclusive elements of national identity are more racist, while individuals who

embrace its most inclusive element are less so. Finally, we reveal that the relationship between conceptions of national

identity and racism is moderated substantially by race, and this robust relationship for whites and Latinos is virtually identical.

Keywords

national identity, race, racism, race and ethnic politics