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CUBAN EXCEPTIONALISM: Group-based Hierarchy and the Dynamics of Patriotism in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2004

Mark Q. Sawyer
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles
Yesilernis Peña
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
Jim Sidanius
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
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Abstract

This paper examined the interface between “racial” and national identity from the perspective of two competing theoretical frameworks: the ideological asymmetry hypothesis and the thesis of Iberian Exceptionalism. In contrast to previous results found in the United States and Israel, use of survey data from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba showed some support for both theoretical positions. Consistent with the asymmetry thesis, there was strong and consistent evidence of racial hierarchy within all three Caribbean nations. However, contradicting the asymmetry hypothesis and more in line with the Iberian Exceptionalism perspective, there was a general tendency for all “races” to be equally attached to the nation in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Somewhat unexpectedly, Cuban Blacks tended to be slightly more positively attached to the nation than Cuban Whites. These results suggest that the precise interface between racial and national identity will be acutely influenced by the specific socio-political context within each nation.

Information

Type
STATE OF THE ART
Copyright
© 2004 W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research
Figure 0

Perceived social status of the three “racial groups” (high numbers indicating high social status).

Figure 1

Perceived social status of the three “racial groups” as a function of one's own ‘racial’ classification (high numbers indicating high social status).

Figure 2

Patriotism as a function of “race” and nationality.

Figure 3

Patriotism regressed upon racial identity and racism for Negros, Mulatos, and Blancos within and across the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Cuba (entries unstandardized regression coefficients)