State Identities and Civic and Political Engagement in the United States

Abstract Political scientists are increasingly paying attention to state identities in the United States. This attention comes amid ongoing gridlock and polarization at the federal level, which has led to divergent policy trajectories in states on national hot-button issues such as immigration, gun control, abortion, voting rights, and more. Assessments of connections people have to their states find that strong state identities are common and that state identities enhance trust in government, support for public spending, and evaluations of public officials. The present study builds on this work by examining relationships between state identities and civic and political engagement. Several types of engagement are considered, including attending meetings, volunteering in one’s community, donating to causes, and contacting government officials. Results from two surveys are mixed, with local and costly activities most likely to be associated with strong state identities.