Quebec National Symbolism and Its Effects on Political Attitudes

ABSTRACT Attachment to symbols is a fundamental component of nationalism. In plurinational countries, however, competing historical narratives may uniquely influence the shaping of political identities. Drawing on data from an exclusive survey conducted in 2022 ( n = 1180), this research note explores a previously unobserved aspect of minority nationalism: multilevel symbolic webs, using the province of Quebec in Canada as a case study. Employing latent class analysis, we delineate a typology consisting of five distinct assemblages of nationalist symbolism in Quebec. We also demonstrate how these symbolic webs significantly contribute to explaining voting preferences and support for independence in the province. This research note introduces a novel perspective on the symbolic structure of nationalism in minority groups, arguing that multilevel symbolism offers unique insights into the complex interplay between identity, culture and political allegiances.