Individual and Educational Factors Influencing Young People’s National Identity

Abstract

This article analyzes individual and educational factors related to the expression of national identity among young people. The theoretical framework discusses how national identity in contemporary society is shaped within the context of globalization, migration, consumerism, the media, and new forms of community, and is therefore becoming increasingly multifaceted and fluid. In this article, national identity is understood as a phenomenon encompassing objective, subjective, and emotional dimensions, and its formation is influenced by both an individual’s internal self-perception and their social and cultural environment. The empirical section presents a quantitative study involving 395 ninth-grade students from Lithuanian gymnasiums. The study aimed to determine how the expression of national identity is related to gender, academic achievement, and attitudes toward school. It was found that academic achievement and a positive attitude toward school are significantly associated with a stronger expression of national identity, particularly among girls. Girls are more likely to exhibit correlations between higher academic achievement, more active participation in national activities, better knowledge of national culture, a stronger connection to their homeland, and national loyalty. In the case of boys, fewer statistically significant associations were found, but the cultural and educational aspects of school are also important to them. The study’s results suggest that school functions not only as a space for education but also as a space for cultural socialization, where young people’s national identity can be maintained and strengthened.