Comparative Survey on National Identity in Iran and Lebanon

Concept of national identity is as the broadest and the most important level of collective identity. Today, as national identity affects on national integrity and national unity of a country and leads to stability and security of political units, it is paid attention to increasingly.This essay is aimed to study national identity in Iran and Lebanon comparatively and between University of Tehran and University of Beirut students. The comparison of national identity has done in six dimensions: social, historical, geographical, linguistic, political, and cultural. For describing national identity we used the conceptual frame of symbolic interactionism. Sample of this research was 800 students of universities of Tehran and Lebanon and sample of each country was comprised of 400 of Iran's four major ethnic groups (Fars, Turk, Kurd, and Lore) and 400 of Lebanon's four major ethnic groups (Shi'a, Sunni, Maronite Christians, and the Druze) which was selected by quota sampling method. The used method is survey and data collection was by questionnaire. For testing validity and reliability we used formal validity and Chronbach's Alpha.Statistical tests show that Iranian students have greater belonging in national identity and Lebanese students have greater commitment to it. Also the amount of average and after that the amount of low national identity was more common in both groups. In sum, national identity is a little more in Iranian students.

Keywords:

identity , national identity , national belonging , national commitment