The demobilizing and radicalizing potentials of dual identity: how perceptions of identity incompatibility and the legitimacy of protest action mediate and moderate the associations between dual identification and protest intentions

Abstract This article examines the role of dual identification with a subgroup and the superordinate society in the politicization, radicalization, and demobilization of subgroup members. A survey was conducted among local Hong Kong citizens ( N = 388) who represent a regional majority embedded as a minority in the broader sociopolitical context (China). It was reasoned that dual identity is generally associated with either demobilization or normative politicization. However, when accompanied by a perceived incompatibility between the subgroup and supergroup identities, dual identity was expected to be associated with radicalization. Path analysis was used to examine the associations between dual identification and intentions to participate in political protests that may involve a confrontation with police (as a proxy of nonnormative protests) and those that may not involve such a confrontation (as a proxy of normative protests). The results indicate a demobilizing potential of dual identity, particularly in the absence of perceived identity incompatibility, and a radicalizing potential in the presence of an identity conflict. These associations were mediated by the perceived legitimacy of protest actions. The findings amend research on immigrant populations and contribute to the understanding of identity dynamics in intergroup contexts, especially where the perceived incompatibility between subgroup and supergroup identities is relatively high. The conclusion is that fostering balanced dual identities may reduce radical political action but may also affect overall protest participation.